Tribal artistes enact a play in Ranchi to observe International Indigenous Day. Picture by Prashant Mitra

Aug. 9: While the state observed the World Indigenous Day today, a delegation of tribal intellectuals met the chief minister at the airport and demanded a dialogue on industrialisation and displacement.

A renewed demand was made to review the draft national tribal policy formulated by the Centre and to stop all displacement of tribals for “so-called development and industrialisation”.

The groups released a white paper on the plight of tribals and demanded a high-level committee to go into all pending cases of rehabilitation, settlement and compensation. All such cases must be settled before new projects are allowed, they held.

The white paper severely criticised the impending Delimitation Act, again framed by the Centre, which would reduce tribal representation in the state legislature as well as in Parliament.

Former RU vice-chancellor Dr Ram Dayal Munda informed that the chief minister had agreed to hold a more detailed dialogue on his return from Delhi. The delegation, he said, pointed out to the chief minister that the draft tribal policy emphasises that no state government would frame rules in contravention with the national policy.

Even the draft national policy on tribals, he said, needed to be re-written. “Public-purpose” mentioned in the draft required to be spelt out more clearly because otherwise tribals would continue to be penalised and lose their land for public purposes that do not benefit them.

He welcomed the draft policy providing for tribals to be made stakeholders in projects coming up on their land. But the process does not spell out the process to be followed by state governments to ensure that tribals giving up their land, are assured of regular monthly income.

The policy is also silent on what would happen if the projects start incurring losses or are shut down. Nor does the policy specify the role of the projects in training and educating the tribals so that they “fit into the system”.

Tribal groups demanded restructuring of the Tribes Advisory Council and granting rights to gram sabhas over major and minor forest produce.

Meanwhile, women activists from across the state today submitted memorandums to chief minister Arjun Munda demanding land rights for women .