Rahul Asks Chhattisgarh CM to File Review Petition on SC’s Order to Evict Tribals, Forest-dwellers

New Delhi [India], Feb 23 (ANI): Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday wrote a letter to Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel to file a review petition on the Supreme Court's order directing state governments to evict tribals and other forest-dwellers whose claims under Forest Rights Act were rejected.In his letter, Rahul stated that the matter deserves “urgent intervention”.“Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) in its status report on the implementation of the Forest Rights Act highlighted that less than 45 per cent of the individual forest rights and 50 per cent of the community forest rights claims were approved as on April, 2018. Further, MoTA had pointed out that forest staff often raised ‘frivolous’ objections leading to rejection. In this backdrop, eviction based on rejected claims alone, without a proper review and appeal process violates the due process of law,” Rahul said.“In order to pre-empt large scale evictions, it would be expedient to file a review petition and take any other action you may deem fit. For millions of Adivasis and other forest dwellers, ‘Jal, Jangal and Zameen’ is integral to their Right to Life guaranteed by our Constitution. It is time for us to work towards deepening the promise of India for everyone,” he added. (ANI)

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