Verbal duel between NC and BJP in J&K assembly over ST rights on forests
Jammu, Mar 22 (PTI) The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly witnessed noisy scenes shortly before the end of day’s business Saturday with ruling National Conference and opposition BJP members exchanging heated words over the rights of Scheduled Tribes on forests.
The verbal duel started when BJP leader Sham Lal Sharma interjected Forest Minister Javed Ahmad Rana who was talking about the measures planned for the welfare of Scheduled Tribes. The minister was addressing the House to wind up the discussions on the Demands for Grants to four departments including Jal Shakti and forest.
Sharma’s interjection led to noisy scenes as almost all BJP members joining him in questioning the remarks of the minister that the time had gone when the Tribals were being driven out due to lack of proper implementation of the Forest Rights Act.
Outside the assembly, Rana told reporters, “Both the Treasury and opposition benches have raised the issue that the Forest Rights Act has not been properly implemented and the Tribals are being frequently targeted. I have said that the Forest Rights Act passed by the parliament will be implemented in letter and spirit.”
He alleged the BJP has always been against Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Castes and other backward classes and “they do not want their proper settlement. They do not want their socioeconomic position to improve”.
“Since a popular government has been formed, they see it as a problem,” the minister said.
On Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather announcing formation of a house committee to look into the alleged irregularities in the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), he said leaders from both sides raised apprehensions inside the house with some pointing to an alleged scam.
“If the Speaker has decided to form the House Committee to remove the misgivings about the mission, there is nothing wrong,” Rana said.
Talking to reporters outside the assembly, Sharma said he raised an objection as the minister made a statement which was not in accordance with the law of the land.
“I wanted to set the records straight… the forest rights act identifies the people who are entitled,” he said, accusing the National Conference of meting out injustice to Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Castes and others over the past seven decades.
Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma defended the action of the BJP members and said the minister’s remarks would encourage land encroachers.
“The Forest Rights Act talks about providing land to landless tribals and not everyone. Some tribals who have agricultural land have grazing rights only. There is a difference between encroachers and the needy,” he said.
He also termed “unconstitutional” the formation of the house committee to probe alleged irregularities in the JJM and said “it was done in a pre-planned manner by the government and the Speaker”.
