NEW DELHI: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has demanded tabling of the Scheduled Tribes (Recognition of Rights) Bill in the winter session of Parliament.

Suggesting amendments to uphold the rights of tribals, the CPI (M) on Wednesday warned against any attempts to dilute the Bill.

Addressing a press conference here, CPI (M) Polit Bureau members Brinda Karat and Biman Basu said it was unfortunate that the Bill, introduced to meet the demand of tribals for recognition of their traditional rights in forests, including access to minor forest produce, should be delayed on `specious grounds'.

The decision to press for the Bill was taken at the party's Tribal Coordination Committee discussions here on Tuesday and Wednesday. An amendment suggested was removal of the cut-off date of 1980, which, if implemented, would lead to mass eviction of tribals. Another related issue was the ceiling of 2.5 hectares of land proposed in the Bill on tribal holdings which, the committee said, was far less than the land ceilings in the States for non-tribal sections. This might lead to disentitlement of adult sons and daughters, who have been cultivating land but may not have legal evidence of it.

"Also, the crucial issue of development of tribal habitations and provision of minimum facilities like drinking water, health care and roads have been completely ignored in the Bill. The important issue of rehabilitation of those displaced by numerous projects has not been addressed at all,'' Ms. Karat said.

Insisting that the Bill drafted by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs be accepted with amendments, Ms. Karat expressed concern over the "inordinate delay" in its tabling. She attributed it to lobbying from the timber mafia and contractors.

"They have an elitist view of tribal rights and do not realise that the forests exist because of them,'' she said.

The Union Environment and Forests Ministry have also drafted a similar Bill.

The party will launch a national campaign for tabling of the Bill through demonstrations, dharnas and conventions, which would culminate in an all-India demands day on November 18.

The coordination committee said a recent Jharkhand High Court judgment had struck down the provisions of PESA (Provisions of Panchayat Extension to Scheduled Areas Act, 1996) relating to reservation of chairperson posts for Scheduled Tribes in Schedule V areas.

It expressed surprise over the decision of the Bharatiya Janata Party Government in Jharkhand not to move the Supreme Court.

A delegation will meet the Union Minister for Panchayats and appeal to the Centre to intervene and save its legislation since it would have repercussions on the implementation of PESA in nine States.

The State unit of the CPI (M) has now moved the Supreme Court against the judgment.

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