Centre, State indifferent to tribal people’s needs: Brinda Karat

Whether it is Centre or State governments, whoever may be in power, their policy towards tribal people are the same, said Brinda Karat, Politburo Member, Communist Party of India (Marxist) at Dharmapuri in Tamilnadu on Saturday.

Addressing a public meeting to mark the inauguration of the Tamil Nadu Tribals Association’s (TNTA) sixth State conference, she said the Union Government and the Tamil Nadu Government do not bother about the welfare of the tribal people, as they failed to recognise the 36 tribal communities living in the State as tribal people.

Kurumbars, Malayali, Kuravas and Narikuravas and other tribal communities continue to be denied the status of tribal people, thus, also the welfare measures. She took a shot at the UPA Government by saying that it is interested in pro-corporate reforms and never shown interest in fulfilling the minimum needs of the marginalised people living in forest and hilly areas.

Ms. Karat welcomed the initiative of the Tamil Nadu Government for its free supply of 20 kg rice for ration card holders and said it is not sufficient to run a family, hence the quantum of rice supply to a family should be increased to at least 35 kg per month, she said. She sarcastically blamed the Centre that they store food grains in Food Corporation of India godowns only for the consumption of rats and not for humans. Ms. Karat also said that the Supreme Court of India is insensitive to tribal people as it said that tribal people migrating to plains in search of job should not be treated as tribal people, but at the same time when NRI Indians return to the country, they are to be treated as Indian citizens, it is an injustice to the marginalised communities living in forests.

The State and Centre are keen to allow foreign nationals and rich corporates to swindle our natural resources, the tribal people who were living for generation together in forest and hilly terrains were being denied their due. She said that thousands of acres of lands belonging to tribal people are being grabbed by rich people and politicians in the State with a view to loot the rich mineral wealth like granite and bauxite.

The party will soon begin a movement against the land grabbers and get back the lands to the tribal people. The TNTA will play an important role in this regard, Ms. Karat said.

Though the Forest Dwellers Rights Act was passed six years ago, the DMK and AIADMK governments in the State failed to implement it.

Ms. Karat said that she along with the leaders of TNTA will meet the District Collector on Sunday to demand immediate disbursal of compensation announced as per the judgement in Vachaati case by the District Sessions Court.
(Source : The Hindu)