As controversy raged on the bill that seeks to give rights to tribals on forestland, the CPI(M) today reminded the government that the proposed bill was a promise made in the Common Minimum Programme by the UPA partners.The Scheduled Tribes (recognition of forest rights) bill, 2005, which was supposed to be placed before Parliament this session, was suddenly dropped from its agenda last week.Although several members wanted to know as to why the government seems to have developed a cold feet on the bill, Minister for Tribal Affairs P.R. Kyndiah merely said the bill was ‘‘still in the drafting stage and it’s yet to come before the cabinet.’’ CPI(M)’ s Nilotpal Basu asked for an assurance from the Minister that the bill would be piloted in the next session. ‘‘There is confusion on who’s supporting the bill and who’s opposing it, but we are only aware that the bill is part of the Common Minimum Programme,’’ Basu said.Reiterating the government’s commitment to the bill, Kyndiah said it was aimed at ‘‘giving a new meaning to the forest-dwellers and Scheduled Tribes’ rights on the land that they had been living on for generations.’’The Minister added that the proposed bill was also aimed at ‘‘addressing the historical injustice done to the tribals.’’Later in the evening, a group of MPs — seen as an answer to the Wilderness and Tiger Watch Group set up by young MPs — met Kyndiah to oppose any further changes in the draft of the bill. The meeting assumed significance on the eve of a calling attention motion on the bill in the Lok Sabha tomorrow.Sources said, at least a dozen MPs, including Sandeep Dixit, former Chhattisgarh CM Ajit Jogi, Madhusudan Mistry and Kishore Chander Deo, met the Minister at his residence.
