BJP makes tall claims about the development and welfare of the tribals. These claims should be examined in the context of their ownership rights over Jal, Jangle and Jameen (water, forest and land), because most of the tribals still live in forest areas and their livelihood also depends on the products obtained from forests. The Tribal Forest Rights Act accepts that the tribal community has been suffering from historical injustice for centuries and this law will alleviate their suffering.
BJP has been ruling Madhya Pradesh for the last 20 years. Therefore, studying this state can be useful to know and understand the condition of tribals. According to the 2011 census, the population of tribals in Madhya Pradesh was 1.53 crores. Today their number can be estimated to be more than 1.8 crores. The announcement of pardon of cases going on against tribals is a favorite pastime of BJP, because it is a populist announcement. Due to this pastime, in May 2024, the BJP state government of Mohan Yadav had announced that 8000 criminal cases going on against tribals would be withdrawn. The BJP government had also garnered a lot of applause for this. But the Chief Forest Conservator, Bhopal has informed that only less than 4500 cases have been withdrawn in 9 months.
But were only 8000 cases registered against the tribals? According to the records of the Forest Department, in the ten years between 2015-24, the Forest Department has registered 5,18,091 cases against the tribals in the entire state. If the same number of cases are assumed before 2015, then today the tribal community in Madhya Pradesh is facing about 10 lakh cases against itself. This means that on an average, one out of 18-20 tribals has been sued by the Forest Department. The tribal community in no other state would be embroiled in litigation on such a large scale.
If we analyse the 4500 cases that have been withdrawn by the BJP government, the main crimes for which these cases have been filed against the tribals are : deforestation ; mining ; encroachment ; collection of minor forest produce like tendu leaves, honey, bamboo, mushrooms etc. ; hunting of non-ferocious wild animals like pigs etc. and birds ; fishing and collection of dry wood for agriculture and house construction and for burning etc. All these cases have been filed under the Indian Forest Act 1927 and Wildlife Protection Act 1972, bypassing the Forest Rights Act.
All the forest crimes for which cases have been filed against the tribals are no longer crimes under the Forest Rights Act, because to remove the historical injustice done to the tribals for centuries, all the rights over forests and related to the use and management of forests have been given to the tribal community. Along with this, it has been provided in the Forest Rights Act that if the provisions of any other prevailing law conflict with this law, then the Forest Rights Act will be given supremacy. Therefore, the cases filed against the tribals for forest crimes are illegal and all 5.2 lakh cases need to be withdrawn/cancelled. The officials of the administration are completely responsible for all the cases that have been imposed on the tribals after the implementation of the Forest Rights Act and action needs to be taken against the concerned officials for the crime of imposing fake cases.
A big problem for farmers and tribals is to protect their farms from stray animals and wild animals, especially pigs. The farmers’ community is facing this problem in Madhya Pradesh and the entire country, but the government and administration are not concerned about the damage being caused to the farms and agriculture of the tribals. Yes, if any animal is killed to protect their farms and life while facing the attacks of these wild animals, then the forest department staff definitely becomes active to punish the tribals.
But the question is why is this happening, when the Forest Rights Act gives ownership rights to the tribals on water, forest and land? The answer to this is also very simple: Today, the BJP governments of the Center and the states want to give ownership of water, forest, land, minerals and other natural resources to the corporates, not to the tribals, so that they can fill their coffers by exploiting these resources. A part of this loot is also going to the BJP and Sanghi gang. Therefore, instead of giving ownership rights to the tribals occupying forest land by giving them lease (pattas), they are making them victims of oppression and harassment, so that they can be easily forced to be displaced from the forest land.
This is not just the story of Madhya Pradesh. This is also the story of Chhattisgarh. Here, fake Gram Sabhas are organized to give Hasdeo forest to Adani for coal mining. The tribals are being snatched away from the forest land whose leases (pattas) have been given to them. The entire country knows about the RSS-BJP sponsored Salwa Judum campaign, through which tribals were forced to vacate hundreds of villages and finally this campaign was stopped only after the order of the Supreme Court.
Generally, the tribals of the entire country are on the target of the corporates today and they have the full support and protection of the BJP government. Mobilization of all sections of the common people will have to be ensured against this corporate-friendly attitude of the governments and a massive struggle will have to be launched to protect the rights of the tribals. Only the mobilization of political-social forces on the basis of a pro-people alternative and a militant mass struggle can counter the Sangh-BJP and its allied forces imposing corporate rule on the country.
Sanjay Parate is the Vice President of Chhattisgarh Kisan Sabha, affiliated to All India Kisan Sabha.
