JHARKHAND

Make Saxena Report Public, CPI(M) Demands

THE Jharkhand state committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has welcomed the K B Saxena report for restoration of tribal lands, as reported in the press. It also condemned the government of Jharkhand for not extending cooperation to K B Saxena during his study of the ground level situation in the state.

The K B Saxena report suggested strengthening of the Chhota Nagpur Tenancy Act (CNT act) and Santhal Pargana Tenancy Act (SPT Act). It has also suggested other measures aiming at restoration of lands to the tribals and exposed various manipulations by which tribal lands were occupied by the vested interests, land mafias, landlords and moneylenders. Saxena also raised a finger to the manipulation in survey settlements to dispossess the tribals from their lands. He also pointed to the dismal situation of land records maintenance by the government and suggested measures for correction.

In a statement issued on January 23, the CPI(M) state committee pointed out that the K B Saxena report is in consonance with the provisions of fifth schedule of the constitution and the spirit of CNT and SPT Acts to protect the interests of the tribals in land. On the other hand, the Babulal Marandi led review committee on the CNT and SPT Acts goes in opposite direction, seeking to dilute these acts to dispossess the tribals from their own lands. This, the CPI(M) said, is the main reason as to why the Jharkhand government did not cooperate with Saxena in preparing the report. It is the BJP which is systematically trying to dispossess the tribals from their lands at the instance of monopoly capital, both foreign and Indian, as well as landlord sections.

The CPI(M) state committee has raised the demand that the government of Jharkhand immediately make the K B Saxena report public. (INN)