Will welcome tribals displaced during Salwa Judum: Bhupesh Baghel

In March this year, over 200 families under the banner of Walsa Adiwasulu Samakhya (displaced tribals’ group) had written to Chhattisgarh Tribal Development Minister Kawasi Lakhma, requesting rehabilitation while laying down jobs, land ownership and other benefits as the preconditions. “Due to the political violence in Chhattisgarh, we had to flee to Andhra Pradesh. Now, when the governments of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are taking over the forestland that we had started cultivating more than a decade ago, we have nowhere to go. We are scared to go back to our villages as they are now occupied by the Maoists,” the letter stated.

In the Monday meeting that was also attended by Lakhma and Chhattisgarh State Scheduled Tribes Commission Chairman Bhanupratap Singh, Baghel extended a ‘wholehearted’ welcome to the displaced families. “The state government will chalk out an action plan to create a conducive environment for their rehabilitation,” the Chief Minister said.

“Those who had to migrate from Sukma, Bijapur and Dantewada districts of Chhattisgarh during the Salwa Judum, and want to come back now will be provided all kinds of facilities, including ration shop, school, employment, along with land for agriculture,” Baghel added.

According to sources, the government promised to settle them near roads to ensure their safety from the Maoists.

The delegation also handed over a memorandum to the Chief Minister, demanding that the state should start a survey for a permanent rehabilitation of the displaced tribals. “We request you to hold talks at the government and Governor-level to stop the current displacement (from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana) of the tribals. Ensure rehabilitation for those who want to come back and also those who don’t want to,” the memorandum read.

A group of 120 displaced tribals is also going to Delhi to meet the representatives of central government and to stage a protest at Jantar Mantar on April 6.

Accompanying them will be Shubhranshu Choudhary, founder of the New Peace Process, who has been working with the Walsa Adiwasulu Samakhya and was part of the delegation that met the Chief Minister on Monday. “The move by Chhattisgarh government is very good and in a positive direction. But there should be a plan for those who don’t want to return as they are too scared. They should be settled where they have been living all these years,” he said. “The central government has rolled out plans and schemes to rehabilitate indigenous tribes. We want a similar solution for those displaced by Salwa Judum, too,” Choudhary added.