Congress vs Congress in Chhattisgarh over forest mining projects

CM Bhupesh Baghel has hit out at those against coal extraction in Hasdeo Aranya. But a Congress district unit has opposed the government and Rahul Gandhi has also expressed reservations.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel. (File)

5 min readRaipurJun 7, 2022 08:05 AM IST First published on: Jun 6, 2022 at 10:28 AM IST

He was the Chhattisgarh Congress chief in 2018 and a vocal opponent of coal mining in the Hasdeo Aranya forest in the state’s northern part at the time. On Saturday, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel hit out at those opposing mining in the area and said they should stop using electricity and “AC, fan, and cooler” before fighting for their cause.

“People are claiming eight lakh trees will be cut when, in reality, only 8,000 trees will be cut this year,” Baghel said at a press conference in Kanker on Saturday. “Those trying to politicise the issue should first stop using electricity and AC, fan, and cooler and then fight for the cause.”

Also read | Explained: The battle over mining in Chhattisgarh’s Hasdeo forest

But the voices of dissent are emanating not just from just Adivasis in the region or the Opposition. Sections of the Congress are also against the project, with even former party president Rahul Gandhi expressing reservations about mining in the area as recently as last month.

The sprawling forest is known for its biodiversity as well as its coal deposits. The forest falls in the districts of Korba, Sujapur and Sarguja districts with a sizeable tribal population. The Hasdeo river, a tributary of the Mahanadi, flows through it. While Baghel had attacked the previous BJP government and Adani Enterprises for ruining the forest for profit, he says his government in March gave a go-head for coal mining in 1,136 hectares in the Parsa East-Kete Basan (PEKB) coal block after ensuring all the rules were followed. Both the Parsa and the PEKB coal blocks are owned by Rajasthan, which also has a Congress government. Despite a Wildlife Institute of India (WII) report advising against coal extraction in the forest, the Rajasthan government had been desperate to get the mines functional, citing a shortage of coal for power generation in the state. Earlier this year, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot flew down to Raipur to urge Baghel to approve mining in the area. Adani Enterprises is in charge of mining in both blocks.

But there has been pushback against mining in the biodiverse-rich area. In October 2021, around 350 people from tribal communities undertook a 300-km march to Raipur, the capital, alleging “illegal” land acquisition. Though the state government claims that it is working on saving the environment by decreasing the use of chemicals in farming, elevating the groundwater level, and encouraging tree plantation under various schemes, its critics point out that the destruction of Hasdeo Aranya and the river catchment areas that feed the central plains in the state will have massive consequences.

But Baghel says that those who are really concerned should focus on whether the tribals have received compensation and whether tree plantation was going on as per the norms. He recently said, “We will not compromise on the betterment of people living in the state and their forest rights. But natural resources like coal which create employment opportunities and form the backbone of industrial development will have to be mined.”

Last month, responding to a question on the issue during an interaction with students at the University of Cambridge, his alma mater, Rahul Gandhi said, “I have a problem with the decision myself.”

Asked about the protests, often organised under the “Save Hasdeo” banner, he replied, “I know that the protest is going on and in some ways the protest is justified.” The former Congress president added that he was working “internally in the party” on the issue.

On May 31, the party’s Surguja district unit joined local residents in opposition to the Baghel government’s decision to fell trees for the mining projects. District Congress leaders and Chhattisgarh Aushadhiya Padap Board chairperson Balkrishna Pathak, who joined the protest, said, “Rahul Gandhi’s words are like a ‘Lakshman Rekha’ for us. We shall not let any tree get cut from the forest against the wishes of the tribals.”

Following Baghel’s latest remarks about the mining projects’ critics, the Opposition took potshots at him. On Sunday, the Leader of the Opposition, Dharamlal Kaushik, asked the CM if he would ask Rahul Gandhi to switch off his AC or if someone else would have to do it. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders have also accused Baghel of working for the interests of a corporate group.

The Sarva Adiwasi Samaj, a tribal organisation, is also planning to field candidates in elections from now on. The state goes to the polls next year and this could cause headaches for the Congress, which has performed poorly in public opinion surveys.