Tribal leftists accuse Sonia of non-implementation of Forest Right

Agartala, Nov 18 (UNI) Tripura Rajya Gana Mukti Parisad(GMP), a tribal wing of the ruling CPI(M), today criticised Congress Chairperson Sonia Gandhi for ''non-implementation of Forests Right Act 2005''.

Addressing a pre-election rally jointly organised by the GMP, its youth and students' wings TYF and TSU, Vice-president of GMP and Lok Sabha member Bajuban Reang said the Act was passed after long persuasion for the development of tribal communities.

Unfortunately, Ms Gandhi kept the draft of the Act with her for the past few months, and hence stalled the implementation, Mr Reang said and alleged that as a result, about 8.5 crore tribals of the country were deprived from using forest produces.

He, however, stated that the tribals were blamed for wildlife killing and illegal use of forest products, destroying the bio-diversity of the region.

GMP Assistant Secretary and State Tribal Welfare Minister Jitendra Chowdhury lambasted the non-left governments in other northeastern states as well as tribal infested Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Andra Pradesh and Gujarat and said that there was no development of the tribals rather corruption with the tribal welfare fund.

He claimed that Tripura was the only state in the country, which ensured equal socio-economic and political rights for the tribal and efforts were under taken for more development of tribal communities.

Speaking at a rally, Chief Minister Manik Sarkar asserted that the Left Front government had been working towards a target of making the state self-sufficient and develop it within the next five years and claimed that tribals here had witnessed a remarkable development.

''We have emphasised on basic amenities, including education and electrification of rural areas and tribal hamlets of the state and working on the programme to minimise the gap between rural and urban localities the chief minister said adding that if the Left Front came to power in the next election for the fourth consecutive time then the state would see a new phase and unique development.'' UNI