Adivasis in tea gardens threaten to launch agitation over land rights

PRASHANT ACHARYA, EOI, SILIGURI, JUNE 14, 2023 : The United Forum for Adivashi Rights on Wednesday threatened to launch an aggressive movement if their demands for land rights were not met on immediate basis. 

The Forum appealed to tribal communities to unite under one platform to fight for tribal rights for land and livelihood. 

The members of the Forum alleged that the West Bengal Government and the Centre were bulldozing the adivasis and launching attacks on their rights.

In a news conference at Bagdogra, members of the Forum requested West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to intervene into the matter and be by the side of the tribal people.

Forum convener Rajkumar Kashyap said: “We are being deprived of the benefits of the Bill related to land that was brought in the West Bengal assembly as Bill no 4; which includes the free holding of the leased land of the teagardens. If the land in the tea gardens is made freehold, then there is every possible that adivasis will be losing their rights from the tea garden. 

We have met district officials and now request Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to take the matter seriously.” 

Kashyap threatened that if their demands were not met they would go for an aggressive movement comprising all the organizations of their community in north Bengal for land rights. He also has alleged that police and the local administration were putting objections on the measurement of the land done by the land owners.

“Adivasis are not allowed to measure their land by the local administration and police for reasons they know best. We are deprived of our rights and the Trinamool government led by Mamata Banerjee is also helpless in their matter.”

According to Kashyap, if the government did not think of tribal people, their future would be in the dark as speculators would start acquiring the land by demolishing tea bushes.