By IANS, Ranchi : A tribal organisation in Jharkhand has decided to put up hoardings along roads to expose the politicians and officials allegedly grabbing tribal land in violation of the law.
Pahra Mahasamiti, a social and political organisation of tribal people, said it would come out with the names of politicians and officials involved in violating laws that protect the land rights of tribal people.
“We will come out with hoardings similar to those put up by the State Bank of India (SBI), to point out loan defaulters, in different parts of the state to expose the people grabbing tribal land,” said Dev Kumar Dhan, convenor of the samiti.
The Chotanagpur Tenancy Act (CNT) was formulated in 1908 by the British government to protect the land rights of the tribal people. But some people violated the law to grab the land, the NGO alleged.
A second law – Santhal Pargana Tenancy Act – was formulated.
Dhan said: “The move will expose the face of politicians and officials who claim to work for the interest of the tribal people. The tribals will also come to know about such politicians.”
The hoardings will carry the names and photographs of those violating the law.
According to the law, if land was taken for a larger interest then the tribals losing it would be duly compensated. But the landowners allege that they were paid a paltry compensation.
The tribal lands are being acquired for industrialisation in Jharkhand.