Congressmen Court-arrest Protesting against Denial of Pattas to Tribals

Accusing state government of denying pattas to a large number of tribals under the Forest Rigths Act, hundreds of Congress workers headed by MPCC chief Suresh Pachauri court-arrested on Friday outside the Assembly, reported PTI.

Pachauri, accompanied by Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Jamuna Devi, her deputy Choudhary Rakesh Singh Chaturvedi, staged the protest near Lily Talkies with the partymen and then court arrested outside the assembly, said report.

All the protesters were released later, report said.

Before their court-arrest, Pachauri and Jamuna Devi alleged that 3.51 lakh adivasis and forest dwellers in state had applied for the pattas, but the claims of 2.41 lakh had been rejected under the Forest Right Act, 2006, said report.

Pachouri termed the BJP Government as ‘anti-tribal’, report said.

He alleged that the adivasis were being denied their rights under different Centre-sponsored welfare schemes in the state, said report.