The new Bill will guarantee the protection of the land, the forests, and the rights of the tribal people of the state, said Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh.
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The Congress on Saturday promised the tribal people of Mizoram to bring a new Bill that guarantees protection of their rights on the land and forests in the first session of the assembly if voted to power in the upcoming polls in the northeastern state.
Accusing the BJP government at the Centre of bulldozing amendments to The Forest Conservation Act during the Monsoon session of Parliament, Congress general secretary in charge of communication Jairam Ramesh said the saffron party evoked huge opposition and outrage from across the country, more so in the northeast.
“The Indian National Congress promises that the first session of the new Legislative Assembly of Mizoram led by the Congress party will pass a new Bill that guarantees to protect the land, the forests and the rights of the tribal people of the state. As forests are part of the concurrent list, this Bill will be sent to the President of India for assent under the provision of Article 254(2),” he wrote on X referring to the upcoming Assembly polls in Mizoram.
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Taking a swipe at the Mizo National Front (MNF) government in the state, Ramesh said, “This is what the MNF Government should have done immediately after the Monsoon session of Parliament but didn’t do so because it dances to the tune of the BJP. “This is what the ZPM (Zoram People’s Movement) will never do as they are a party without an ideology, without a programme or an organisation for the people of Mizoram, and will compromise with the BJP in no time,” he added.
Elections to the 40-member Mizoram Assembly will be held on November 7 and counting of votes will take place on December 3.
The polls are likely to witness a multipronged contest among the ruling MNF, ZPM, Congress, and the BJP. MNF is a constituent of the BJP-led North-East Democratic Alliance (NEDA).
In the 2018 assembly elections, the MNF won 26 seats against ZPM’s eight, Congress’ five, and BJP’s one seat.
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