Arjun Munda Slams Hemant Govt Over Jharkhand PESA Rules
Former CM calls notified rules a betrayal of tribal self-governance and dilution of PESA Act’s spirit.
- Arjun Munda attacks Jharkhand government over PESA rules
- Says new rules dilute spirit of PESA Act, 1996
- Alleges attempt to weaken Gram Sabha powers
- Warns of threat to tribal self-governance
GG News Bureau
Ranchi, 7th Jan: Former Chief Minister of Jharkhand and former Union Minister Arjun Munda on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the Hemant Soren-led government over the newly notified PESA (Panchayats Extension to Scheduled Areas) Rules, alleging that the move strikes at the very spirit of the PESA Act, 1996.
Addressing a press conference at the BJP state office, Munda described the rules as contrary to the original intent of the Act and termed them a “cold-blooded murder” of tribal self-governance and a betrayal of the tribal community.
He said that while there had been a long-standing demand for the implementation of PESA Rules in Jharkhand, the rules notified by the state government were flawed and deviated from the core principles of tribal autonomy. Under the PESA Act, he said, the state government has the authority to frame rules only for better implementation, and not to alter the spirit and intent of the law.
Munda alleged that the Jharkhand government had attempted to redefine the concept of the Gram Sabha in the new rules. He pointed out that while the PESA Act defines the Gram Sabha based on customary law, religious practices and traditions, the notified rules fail to provide a clear and faithful definition of these concepts.
He further noted that in nine other states where PESA is applicable, Gram Sabha has been defined strictly in line with the Act. Jharkhand, he alleged, had deliberately weakened this core provision, which could prove damaging for both society and governance.
Calling the rules “voluminous in pages but hollow in spirit,” Munda warned that the move could pave the way for administrative overreach and weaken institutional tribal self-governance in the long run. He also accused the state government of attempting to dilute the distinct cultural identity of the tribal community.
Munda said that in a Fifth Schedule state like Jharkhand, the government should act with utmost sensitivity, but the current dispensation had failed to protect tribal interests. BJP leaders, including MP Dr Pradeep Verma, media in-charge Shiv Pujan Pathak, co-media in-charge Ashok Badaik and spokesperson Rafia Naz, were present at the press conference.
