Ranchi, Sep 15: Thousands of tribals participated in a rally here on Thursday to protest the Raghubar Das government’s move to make changes in two land acts to acquire land.
The tribal people participated in the rally at Morabadi ground of Ranchi under the banner of Advasi Buddijivi Manch.
They are protesting the Jharkhand government’s move to make changes in the Chotanagpur Tenancy Act and the Santhal Pargana Act.
After the changes come into effect, tribal land could be acquired for various purposes like roads, power plants, malls and others.
Agricultural land could be used for non-agricultural purposes.
The protesters waved banners and placards against the changes in the land acts. The Jharkhand government in June brought an ordinance to make the changes.
The ordinance has been sent to President Pranab Mukherjee by Governor Draupadi Murmu. The president has referred the ordinance to the government.
The Tribal Affairs Ministry of the central government sought the view of the National Schedule Tribe Commission. The National ST commission has also rejected the Jharkhand government’s move to make changes in the two land acts.
“The Raghubar Das government is trying to snatch our land. We will protest and we cannot allow our land to be acquired. The past history indicates that the tribal people were made fools of and their lands were acquired. We have become second grade citizens in our own state,” Veena Oraon, who participated in the rally, told IANS.
Echoing her view, Shiv Munda said: “There is a move to acquire land for the industrialists. Thousands of tribal people were displaced in the past and they are leading a miserable life. We were landlords in our state and see today’s situation.”
“There is a move by the BJP government to make us beggars in our own state. The changes will take away our land and culture,” Munda said.
Modi, Jharkhand CM lying on land laws: JMM
Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) President Hemant Soren on Thursday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das of lying on the land rights of the tribals in the state.
He said both promised that the tribals’ land rights will be protected but an ordinance had been brought to make changes in two land acts in the state.
Hemant Soren, President, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and former Chief Minister of Jharkhand (Photo – The Indian Express)
“Modi promised at a public rally in Santhal Pargana that no one was yet born to take away the tribal land. Even Das is saying that even his father cannot make changes in the Chhotanagpur Tenancy Act and the Santhal Pargana Tenancy Act,” Soren said at a press conference here.
“Both lied to the people as the state’s BJP-led government had brought an ordinance to make changes in both the acts. After the changes come into effect, tribal land could be used for non-agricultural purposes,” the former Chief Minister said.
The JMM chief said that even the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes had maintained that since Jharkhand issues come under the fifth schedule of the Constitution, it would be inappropriate to make changes in both the laws.
Chief Minister Raghubar Das is wooing investors by holding road shows in Delhi, Mumbai and other cities but what will be the impact on prospective investors when they come to know the truth about his contention that land is not an issue in the state, Soren asked.
The JMM is protesting the proposed changes in the two land acts through the ordinance. The monsoon session of the Jharkhand assembly was washed out due to opposition protests over the issue.
Even BJP ally All Jharkhand Students Union has protested the proposed changes in the land laws.
(IANS)
