The Dalit Adivasi Sangh members in support of their demands such as implementation of the Forest Rights Act and cancellation of land Acquisition Ordinance staged a demonstration in front of the Collectorate here the other day. According to the information, the activists had taken out a rally from Kurrupath based Martyr Virnarayan Singh’s battle ground and reached the Collectorate and staged massive protest there.
They demanded from the Government to immediately take steps to implement the Forest Right Act in the State. So also, urged the Central Government to withdraw the land Acquisition Ordinance terming it as anti-farmer. According to Rajim, an Adviser to the Sangh, all the forest dwellers were given the rights on minor forest produce under the Forest Rights Act 2006. However, he lamented the villagers were yet to get that right and also community forest rights another key provision of the Act among other benefits.
The protesters, he said reached the district headquarters after covering a distance of 157 km on foot. Forest dwellers from 41 villages joined protest in support of their legitimate demands, he noted. According to Alok Shukla of Chhattisgarh Bachao Andolan the land Acquisition Ordinance if implemented in its current form, it would deprive the farmers and tribals of their land without their consent and knowledge.