Ranchi -Hundreds of tribal activists, led by the Central Sarna Committee, marched nearly 120 kilometers from Gumla to Ranchi, demanding the enforcement of the long-pending PESA Act in Jharkhand. On reaching Raj Bhavan, they held a demonstration and submitted a memorandum to the Governor.
At the protest, Bablu Munda, president of the Central Sarna Committee, expressed outrage over what he called systemic neglect. “Even with a tribal Chief Minister in power, our rights are being violated, and exploitation of our land, forest, and water resources has only increased,” he alleged.
Social worker Nisha Bhagat emphasized that Jharkhand is constitutionally mandated to implement PESA as a Fifth Schedule state. “The law was enacted in 1996, yet the delay continues. With religious conversions and bureaucratic apathy, tribal communities are being pushed to the margins,” she said, warning of possible extreme protests if no action is taken.
Leader of the Opposition Babulal Marandi claimed that political fears are behind the delay. “The ruling party is scared that PESA will give power to Gram Sabhas and block illegal land encroachments. It threatens their vote bank,” he asserted.
Tribal groups have announced plans to escalate their agitation into a statewide movement if the government fails to respond.
With inputs from IANS