Congress senior leader and former Union Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh on Tuesday accused the BJP-led governments in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh of institutionalizing the role of RSS-linked organizations in implementing tribal rights laws. He claimed that this move weakens democratic processes and sidelines Gram Sabhas in Scheduled Areas.
Task Forces and Their Implications
Ramesh stated that the governments in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh have constituted Task Forces for the implementation of the Panchayat (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA) and the Forest Rights Act, 2006 (FRA). He also warned that Odisha could soon become the third state to adopt a similar mechanism.
According to the Congress leader, these Task Forces undermine the statutory framework established by the two laws passed by Parliament and alter the role envisioned for local self-governance institutions. He alleged that the Akhil Bharatiya Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, which he described as an RSS affiliate, is playing a key role in shaping these mechanisms and influencing the implementation of provisions related to Gram Sabhas.
Impact on Democratic Structure
“These Task Forces subvert the basic democratic structure of implementation of these two laws passed by Parliament,” Ramesh said. He added that both PESA and FRA emerged from long-standing people’s movements and were designed to strengthen local decision-making in tribal areas.
Ramesh also claimed that the creation of such Task Forces could have implications for natural resource governance in forest regions. He alleged that ecological concerns may be sidelined in favor of commercial interests. “It is not a coincidence that one impact of the Task Forces will be felt in the exploitation of rich natural resources with little regard to ecological considerations in forest areas by mining companies of whom the most prominent will be the Modani empire,” said Ramesh.
Political Debate Intensifies
The remarks came amid continuing political debate over the implementation of tribal rights laws, forest governance, and resource management in Scheduled Areas. The Congress leader’s allegations have sparked a fresh round of criticism from opposition parties against the BJP governments in both states.
While the BJP has not yet responded to Ramesh’s specific claims, party officials have previously defended the formation of Task Forces as a measure to ensure effective implementation of tribal welfare schemes. However, critics argue that such mechanisms concentrate power in the hands of non-elected bodies, undermining the authority of Gram Sabhas.
The issue is likely to remain a focal point in the ongoing political discourse, especially as states grapple with balancing development, resource extraction, and the rights of indigenous communities.
