Bhatti slams KCR govt for not implementing law to protect tribal land rights

HYDERABAD: Senior Congress leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka on Monday condemned the Chandrashekar Rao government for not implementing the Forest Rights Act brought in by the Congress-led UPA government, in a bid to protect the rights of tribals over forest lands.

Speaking at Munyanaik thanda in Suryapet district, where he is on his padayatra, Bhatti said: “The legislation, passed when Manmohan Singh was Prime Minister and Sonia Gandhi the UPA chairperson, made it clear that rights over the forests belong to the forest dwellers. But the BRS government has been systematically oppressing Adivasis and scheduled tribes, and conspired to deny them rights over podu lands under their cultivation.”

“Tribals are being subjected to harassment and forced to live without self-respect,” he said.

Warning that the BRS would pay a price for oppressing tribals, Bhatti said that Congress would come to power in four months and take decisions to restore the rights of Adivasis. “We will strictly enforce the Forest Rights Act in letter and spirit,” he said.

“With elections approaching, KCR, who did nothing to implement the Forest Rights Act, has been trying to deceive Adivasis and tribals once again by stating that pattas would be given for podu lands. He had been making such statements in and outside the Assembly over the past 10 years and once said that he would go to agency areas along with the entire official machinery and distribute pattas for podu lands. But people are tired of empty promises made by KCR,” he said.

“Tribals, who have realised the deceitful mindset of KCR and his government, are now vociferous in demanding their rights over forest lands and are questioning the ruling party, which tried to snatch their lands,” he said.