Protect the right of tribal communities: BAJSS

Bharatiya Adim Jati Seva Sangh (BAJSS) New Delhi, which held its national executive meeting here on Friday, has urged the government to implement Panchayats Extension to Scheduled Areas (PESA) Act, 1996 in all areas under 5th scheduled in letter and spirit to protect the right and entitlements of tribal communities.
In his address at the meeting, which discussed concerns relating to the issues being faced by the tribal population in the country, BAJSS president NC Hembrum said that climate change was having adverse impact on the ecosystem and livelihood of millions of forest dwellers and marginal farmers. Stating that there were various vulnerable tribal communities living in the country, Hembrum said that every area coming under the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution should be developed as centres of excellence with educational institutions and services. The Fifth Schedule deals with the administration and control of Scheduled Areas as well as of Scheduled Tribes in India. He said that Navodaya Vidyalaya and health services should be upgraded according to the requirement of the community. BAJSS president asserted that centres should be established that nurture and promote tribal culture, traditions, especially their languages, which were facing vulnerability.
He claimed that successive governments remained unconcerned about the rights of the tribal population and focused on votes. He said that there was also no proper data about the tribal population. Hembrum said that while the North Eastern states fell under the sixth schedule unlike other parts of the country, the provisions were only in writing and not implemented in its true sense. Speaking to the press after the meeting, Hembrum gave a brief history of the organization and stated that BAJSS was established in the year 1948-49 by renowned social worker Thakkar Bapa, who was a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi. He said that the first president of India Dr. Rajendra Prasad was the also first president of the organization. He said that the organization had recently submitted a representation to the President of India regarding National Creche Scheme for Working Mothers’ Children.
In the representation, he said the organisation requested the president to advise the Ministry of Women & Child Development, to give the status of Nodal Agency to BAJSS for running 5522 no. of Creche Unit on the basis of 9% Tribal Population. Hembrum informed that in Nagaland there are two organisations affiliated with BAJSS—Nagaland Children’s Home and Mary Society. Members representing various states of the country and organizations affiliated to BAJSS participated in the meeting.