Adivasis stage dharna over non-receipt of land pattas

Demanding land rights, Adivasi people from different corners of Sonitpur district under the banner of Adivasi Bhumi Adhikar Committee staged a three-hour dharna in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office here on Friday.

The dharna was participated in by over 1,000 people. An office-bearer of the Adivasi land rights demand committee named Biswajit Minz addressed the protesters and mentioned that living in forest land was the birthright of the Adivasis and was duly mentioned in the Indian Constitution.

He therefore demanded the government to address the grievances of the Adivasi people living in the forest villages by providing them land documents at an early date under the Forest Right Act of 2006.

Slamming the government’s discriminatory attitude in dealing with the issue of providing land patta to the Adivasis living in the forest lands, he urged the authority concerned not to drag its feet over such an important issue.

The agitators later submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner of Sonitpur which was addressed to the Chief Minister.