Centre should bring ordinance to secure tribal rights: Gehlot

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday demanded that the Centre bring an ordinance to make necessary amendments in the Forest Rights Act, 2006, to remove hurdles for securing rights of tribals living in the forest areas.

"Centre should file review petition in the Supreme Court to save tribals from displacement and bring an ordinance to secure rights of people living in forest areas," Gehlot said in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The chief minister said tribals had been given rights to live in forest areas under the act and the recent Supreme Court order had affected the lives of people.

The apex court had on February 13 asked 21 states to apprise it about the action taken by them regarding eviction of tribals and forest dwellers whose claim for the forest land have been rejected.

Gehlot said the state government, as per its election manifesto promise, had decided to simplify process of providing rights to tribals living in forest areas.

In this context, transparent and effective online facility to release land possession in forests has been made, the senior Congress leader added.

A PIL had challenged the validity of the Forest Rights Act, passed in 2006 by the Parliament to give back to traditional forest dwellers their right to access, manage and govern forests within their village boundaries.