The Congress on Tuesday alleged that Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh governments have constituted task forces to "institutionalise" the RSS role in the implementation of PESA, 1996 and FRA, 2006, and said these "subvert" the basic democratic structure of implementation of the two laws.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh also claimed that Odisha will soon be the third state to constitute such task forces. He alleged that the essential character of Panchayat (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 and the Forest Rights Act, 2006 in letter and spirit is being deliberately sabotaged by such task forces which have executive responsibilities as well.
"The Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh governments have constituted Task Forces to institutionalise the RSS role in the implementation of the Panchayat (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 and the Forest Rights Act, 2006. Odisha will soon be the third state to do so," Ramesh said on X.
"These Task Forces subvert the basic democratic structure of implementation of these two laws passed by Parliament. The Akhil Bharatiya Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, an RSS-affiliate is the driving force behind this hijacking of statutory provisions especially those relating to the role of the Gram Sabha," the Congress leader said.
"Both PESA, 1996 and FRA, 2006 emerged out of people's movements. Their essential character in letter and spirit is being deliberately sabotaged by such Task Forces which have executive responsibilities as well," he alleged.
It is not a coincidence that one impact of the task forces will be felt in the exploitation of rich natural resources with little regard to ecological considerations in forest areas by mining companies of whom the most prominent will be the "Modani empire", Ramesh said.
(With inputs from PTI)