Gujarat Congress chief slams govt over tribal land, farmers’ issues
Ahmedabad: Gujarat Congress President Amit Chavda on Wednesday highlighted pending tribal land claims, farmers’ grievances, gaps in education and healthcare, and alleged exploitation of tribal communities during the 10th day of the ‘Jan Aakrosh Yatra’ in south Gujarat.
Addressing farmers’ difficulties at the Narmada Sugar Factory, Chavda said: “Considering rising cultivation costs, high prices of fertilisers and seeds, and increasing labour expenses, farmers must be paid Rs 5,000 per tonne for sugarcane. Without this, farming will no longer remain economically viable.”
Chavda criticised the state government for failing to resolve tribal land claims. “Despite the Forest Rights Act being in effect for nearly two decades, claims of thousands of tribal families remain pending. Even with gram sabha approvals and cultivation records, administrative delays and technical objections continue,” he said.
He added that under Section 73AA of the Gujarat Land Revenue Act, tribal lands are meant to be protected from transfer and misuse.
“Yet a major scam is ongoing in which these lands are being converted to non-agricultural (NA) status and seized, often through the use of fraudulent documents,” he alleged.
Chavda also raised concerns about employment opportunities in major projects, including the Statue of Unity (SOU). “Local tribals were not employed on this project. Instead, agency contracts were allegedly given to BJP associates, leaving the community without what should have been their rightful employment,” he said.
He further criticised the government for ignoring provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA) and Schedule V protections, alleging that tribal water, land and forests are being acquired in the name of development without gram sabha approval.
Highlighting issues in education, Chavda said: “Distance to schools, inadequate infrastructure and the lack of basic facilities are preventing students in tribal areas from accessing quality education. As a result, school dropout rates have risen significantly.”
Gujarat Legislative Assembly Congress leader Dr Tushar Chaudhary addressed healthcare concerns, stating: “The absence of hospitals and primary health centres forces patients to travel to other districts for treatment. Poor families face additional financial burdens due to travel costs, and minor illnesses can become life-threatening because of the lack of local facilities.”
Chavda emphasised that ongoing delays and what he termed poor implementation of policies in tribal areas are depriving communities of their rightful access to land, resources, education and livelihoods.