Speed Post News Network
Bagaha : Tribals including Tharus and Oraons living in and around Valmikinagar Tiger Reserve (VTR) under Bagaha Sub-Division in West Champaran district are unhappy with the NDA Government at the centre saying it has failed to protect their rights over forest resources including land and forest produce.The tribals and other traditional forest dwellers have always supported the NDA but are now quite upset with it saying the Narendra Modi Government had failed to protect their rights over forest land in the wake of February 13, 2019, Supreme Court order against the Forest Rights Act.
Over one lakh tribals under Bagaha -2, Ramnagar, Gaunaha, and Mainatand blocks are likely to be hit by the court order, the tribals claim. The tribals are likely to be forcibly evicted from their households and forest land, which they are tilling for years, following the Supreme Court order against the Forest Rights Act, 2006, which came into force in 2008. The Act was passed during Congress led UPA government.
Former MP from Gopalganj and BPCC Vice-President Purnmasi Ram says the congress party has always been helping the tribals and passed the Forest Right Act in the interest of the tribals.
Rajesh Oraon, President, Adhivasi Oraon Mahasabha, West Champaran, claims that before Zamindari abolition, Champaran forests and agriculture land were under the control of Bettiah and Ramnagar Estates respectively and they had given parchas over the land to their raiyats. Later, the same land was settled by COs to the parchaholders, who were issued rent receipts and since then the plots were in possessions of the tribal raiyats though issuing of rent receipt was stopped after 1994.
Deep Narain Prasad, President,Bhartiya Tharu Kalyan Mahasangh, West Champaran, says forests and tribals are culturally and traditionally linked to each other.