Bill to include communities in ST list in Chhattisgarh introduced in RS amid opposition walkout

New Delhi, Jul 25 (PTI) A bill to include Dhanuhar, Dhanuwar, Kisan, Saunra, Saonra and Binjhia communities in the list of Scheduled Tribes in Chhattisgarh was introduced in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday amid a walkout by opposition members demanding discussion on the Manipur violence.

When the Upper House reassembled post lunch, Union Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda moved the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Fifth Amendment) Bill, 2022 for consideration and passage.

Opposition members, who continued to create an uproar in the House demanding a discussion on Manipur, raised objections to the passage of the Bill amid din and walked out.

Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge got up to raise the Manipur issue, while asserting that he supported the Bill, but said Prime Minister Narendra Modi must come to the House and speak on the violence in the northeastern state to which the treasury benches raised strong objections.

The opposition alleged that Kharge’s mic was shut off and he was not allowed to complete his point.

“In the Rajya Sabha this afernoon, BJP MPs prevented Leader of the Opposition,
@kharge-ji from speaking and raising INDIA’s demand for PM’s statement in the House on Manipur and a discussion thereafter. Repeated obstruction at the instigation of none other than the Leader of the House himself and the insistence to pass Bills in the din led to a walkout by all INDIA MPs for the rest of the day,” Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said in a tweet.

In December last year, the Lok Sabha passed the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Fifth Amendment) Bill, 2022 through a voice vote. The Bill seeks to include Dhanuhar, Dhanuwar, Kisan, Saunra, Saonra and Binjhia communities in the list of Scheduled Tribes (STs) in Chhattisgarh.

It also seeks to formalise Bhuinya, Bhuiyan and Bhuyan as synonyms of the Bharia Bhumia community. It also includes three Devanagari versions of the name of the Pando community.

Taking part in the discussion, Niranjan Bishi of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) supported the Bill, saying it will be beneficial for the tribals of Chhattisgarh. Similarly, Ryaga Krishnaiah of the YSRCP, who spoke in Telugu, also supported the legislation.

Samir Oraon (BJP), while supporteing the bill, said tribals have been deprived of development since Independence but Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government has taken many steps for their development.

Kanakmedala Ravindra Kumar (TDP), who also supported the Bill, tried to raise the issues related to problems faced by tribals in Andhra Pradesh, but was asked by Deputy Chairman Harivansh to speak only on the Bill.

Saroj Pandey and Kirodi Lal Meena of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also took part in the discussion and highlighted the steps taken by the NDA government for the development of tribals across the country.