Nearly two decades after the passage of the Forest Rights Act (FRA) 2006, forest-dependent communities across India continue to battle for their legally recognised rights. At a meeting between Sokalo Gond, Chairperson of AIUFWP and Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition, the All India Union of Forest Working People (AIUFWP) has raised urgent concerns over the slow and ineffective implementation of the Act. The letter submitted to him calls for his intervention to ensure justice for millions of tribals and traditional forest dwellers, who remain at the mercy of state authorities and the Forest Department’s unchecked power.
The FRA 2006, enacted under the UPA-I government, was a watershed moment in recognising the rights of forest-dwelling communities by breaking away from the colonial-era policies that placed forests solely under government control. For the first time since Independence, the Act aimed to correct historical injustices by empowering Gram Sabhas (village councils) to determine land rights and putting an end to the arbitrary control exercised by the Forest Department. However, despite its promise, the on-ground reality remains bleak. The AIUFWP’s letter highlights multiple reasons for the failure of implementation, including:
- Lack of political will among state governments to enforce the FRA.
- Deliberate neglect by administrative officials, who refuse to acknowledge claims under the Act.
- Continued harassment of forest-dependent communities by the Forest Department, which, instead of recognising their rights, evicts them and falsely prosecutes them under various laws.
- Deliberate rejection of individual and community claims by authorities without proper consideration.
- Failure to inform forest-dwelling communities about their legal rights, leaving them vulnerable to dispossession.
By submitting the letter to Gandhi on April 2, the AIUFWP had specifically pointed out that despite repeated submissions, no decision has been made on the community claims filed by the union. A list of these pending claims has been attached to the letter, underscoring the extent of bureaucratic delay.
Given these persistent challenges, the AIUFWP is demanding urgent intervention and has requested a meeting between Rahul Gandhi and representatives from multiple states to discuss the issue in detail. The letter, signed by Sokalo Gond, Chairperson of AIUFWP, makes it clear that without political action, the FRA risks becoming yet another unfulfilled promise for India’s most marginalised communities.
Sokalo Gond was accompanied by Munnar Gond. The meeting took place in Sansad Bhavan.
The complete letter may be read here.
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