By IANS
Ranchi : Jharkhand government has welcomed the union cabinet’s decision not to implement Delimitation Commission of India’s (DCI) recommendation to reduce the number of tribal seats in the assembly and parliamentary constituencies of the state.
The union cabinet Thursday decided not to implement the DCI recommendations for five states, including Jharkhand. The DCI had proposed that the number of seats reserved for schedule tribes in the state assembly be reduced from 28 to 21. It also wanted to reduce the number of reserved Lok Sabha seats by one.
The DCI proposal had provoked large-scale social unrest, which forced the DCI team to postpone their visit in June last year. Different tribal organisations supported by political parties had called a strike twice last year to protest the recommendations.
Expressing happiness over the union cabinet decision, Chief Minister Madhu Koda said: “This is a victory for the people of the state. We must thank Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for respecting the sentiment of the people.”
Welcoming the decision Pradeep Kumar Balmuchu, state Congress president, said: “Congress has always taken the interest of tribal people into consideration. The UPA government headed by Congress has proved its concern by not implementing the DCI recommendation.”
The state government had made serious efforts last year to prevent implementation of the DCI recommendation. Koda met the prime minister and the president, requesting them not to implement the DCI proposals.
Different tribal organisations Thursday night took out torch light processions here to welcome the union cabinet decision.
“It was question of survival of tribals in the state. Since 1952, the number of reserved tribal seats has been reduced. The number was reduced to 28 from 33 when the last recommendation was implemented two decades ago,” said Chamra Linda, president of Adivasi Chatra Sangh.