Chhattisgarh Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan voices concern over tribal rights in Odisha

Amid the Opposition parties' uproar over the recent Cabinet decision on the tribal land sale and transfer, which was later put on hold, Chhattisgarh Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan on Thursday expressed his concern over the 'controversial' decision.

Speaking at a national convention of 'Biswa Manabika Adhikar Surakhya Sangathan' in Bhubaneswar on Thursday, Harichandan said, “Tribal people in the state are a deprived and neglected lot.”

In a veiled reference to the recent Cabinet nod to the tribal land transfer issue, he further observed that the tribals should not be deprived of their rights.

Also Read: Odisha Assembly adjourned till 4 pm as stalemate over ST land transfer bill continues for 3rd day

The Chhattisgarh Governor demanded that the existing laws pertaining to the rights and welfare of the Scheduled Tribes should be strengthened rather than tweaked.

Harichandan’s concern came at a time when the Winter Session of the Odisha Assembly has witnessed repeated disruptions for the last three days due to opposition by legislators of Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), who have accused the ruling BJD of trying to render the tribals landless by tampering with the existing laws related to the transfer rights of their land to non-tribal people.