Bharat Bandh 2019: Tribal outfits across the country have called for a Bharat bandh on Tuesday. (File)Bharat Bandh on 5th March 2019: Tribal outfits across the country have called for a Bharat bandh on Tuesday to protest against a February 13 Supreme Court order that directed states to complete the eviction of families whose claims had been rejected under the Forest Rights Act. The order will impact over 10 lakh tribals and other forest dwellers across the country.
However, the apex court last week stayed the eviction order and directed the states to file affidavits detailing the procedure adopted while rejecting the claims made by the Forest Dwelling Scheduled Tribes (FDSTs) and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (OTFDs). The states have time to file their affidavits till July 10.
Tribal groups are demanding that the Centre bring an ordinance to ensure their rights are protected. While the bandh is less likely to have an impact on normal life, tribal outfits across states like Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and north-east have called for a peaceful bandh.
READ | They do not understand us, our forest, say tribals in shadow of eviction
In Delhi, tribal outfits will organise a march from Mandi House to Jantar Mantar to demand the restoration of the Forests Rights Act. Despite a Supreme Court stay, there is simmering anger within the tribal community over the fact that “the whims of government officials” have brought them to the brink of eviction.
Moreover, tribal outfits will also be joined by Dalit groups, who will protest against the SC upholding an Allahabad High Court order over reservation of SC/STs in the appointment of faculty members in universities. Recently, the apex court trashed the Centre’s plea seeking review of its January verdict.
The SC had said reservation in faculty positions in universities should be calculated department-wise and not by taking the total seats in a university. The immediate effect of the Supreme Court verdict will be a drastic drop in the number of SC, ST and OBC teachers in universities.
