Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian parliament, has passed a bill to include six tribes from Chhattisgarh in the list of scheduled tribes. This move aims to provide recognition and support to the Dhanuhar, Dhanuwar, Kisan, Saunra, Saonra, and Binjhia communities. The bill also seeks to formalize the synonyms of the Bharia Bhumia community and include various versions of the name of the Pando community.
Tribal affairs minister Arjun Munda introduced the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Fifth Amendment) Bill, 2022, and highlighted the government’s focus on the development of tribal communities. BJP member Samir Oraon affirmed the government’s commitment to their welfare. Junior minister for social justice and empowerment, Ramdas Athawale, criticized the opposition for neglecting the tribal communities in the past.
While the Congress party supported the bill, leader of the opposition, Mallikarjun Kharge, raised some concerns. He expressed support for the inclusion of wronged individuals in the tribal list but questioned the government’s attempt to take sole credit for it. However, when Kharge tried to voice his concerns, his microphone was muted, leading to protests and slogan shouting from the opposition. Ultimately, the opposition staged a walkout.
In a tweet, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh accused the ruling party of preventing Kharge from speaking and called attention to the obstructionist behavior that led all opposition MPs to walk out for the rest of the day. Trinamool Congress MP Derek O’Brien also criticized the incident, noting that the microphone of the leader of the opposition was switched off, prompting all parties to walk out.
During a joint opposition press conference, Raghav Chadha of the Aam Aadmi Party criticized the ruling BJP MPs for trying to silence Kharge while he was discussing the situation in Manipur. Chadha claimed that the BJP’s actions were an attempt to hide the alleged atrocities in Manipur.
The passing of the bill in the Rajya Sabha is a significant step towards the inclusion and recognition of these tribes in the scheduled tribes list. As the bill moves forward, it is crucial to address the concerns raised by the opposition and ensure a fair and balanced approach towards the welfare of tribal communities in the country.
