Despite Central government pumping in lots of money to improve socio-economic status, tribals in Chhindwara and Hoshangabad are still devoid of schools, clothes and food, said National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) vice-president Anusuiya Uike on Friday. She was speaking to reporters in the city after a three day tour of the state, especially the tribal dominated areas. The NCST team comprised of national president Nand Kumar Sai, Uike, state president and others. Contd. on P10
Chouhan govt doing…
Describing the tour as an eye-opener, she said that it exposed Shivraj government’s claim of development and betterment of tribals. Accusing the state government of failure to secure rights of primitive tribes like Bharia, Saharia and Baiga, she said that hundreds of tribals were being forced to run from the pillar to the post for government job. The government has turned a blind eye towards the woes of these primitive tribes, she claimed.
“On Friday, we handed over a large bunch of complaints to chief secretary for redressal,” said NCST presdient Sai claiming, “Collectors are permitting sale of tribal land. Influential people are forcing tribals to hand over land lease to them and the state government is doing nothing.”
Speedy hearing of fake certificate cases: The NCST will soon move the apex court urging it to direct high courts of different states to accelerate trials of cases where in non-ST individuals had used to fake caste certificate to secure government jobs reserved for ST category, said Uike. Sharing details of such cases, Uike said maximum number of such cases was detected in Maharashtra. She claimed that approximately five to six lakh non-ST candidates had secured earmarked for ST through fake certificates in last several years. NCST chairperson Nand Kumar Sai admitted that high-powered state-level scrutiny (Chhaan Been) committees needed to be more responsive.
Tribals are real Hindus
We are the real Hindu. In Rig-Veda there is no god. All hymns are related to fire, water, air and sky (Agni, Jal, Vayu and Akash). Tribals have been worshipping all these deities since ages, said Sai while giving clarification on a campaign currently underway in MP that claims that tribals are not Hindus. He also claimed that tribals have been safeguarding environment since ages. Now, the governments are coming forward to save the forest. “For tribal trees and Nature are gods. Now governments too are realising it,” he added.
