Controversy Over PESA Rules: Tribal Rights at Stake

Former Jharkhand CM Champai Soren criticizes the JMM-led government for allegedly altering PESA rules to undermine tribal rights, accusing them of favoring infiltrators. He claims key elements like customary laws are omitted, compromising tribal governance.

In a recent development, Jharkhand's former Chief Minister, Champai Soren, has accused the JMM-led government of tweaking the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996, also known as PESA, to diminish the rights of tribal communities. Soren claims that the newly implemented rules favor infiltrators.

According to the BJP leader, the state government's notification, issued on January 2, omits essential provisions concerning customary laws and traditional religious practices. He argues that such omissions enable infiltrators and religious converts to assume positions of power within village governance structures, thereby jeopardizing tribal cohesion.

The PESA Act initially mandated that self-governing systems in scheduled areas reflect ancient laws and traditions. However, Soren contends that the current interpretation focuses solely on traditions, fundamentally altering the structure of village governance.

(With inputs from agencies.)