Kozhikode, May 26: Accusing the Antony government in Kerala of not taking steps to declare self-rule to tribals, National Adivasi Federation today asked the Kerala government to immediately implement the Tribal Protection Bill, 1975 and bring the tribal-dominated areas in the state under the fifth schedule of the constitution to ensure self-rule to tribals. "Having failed to implement the Tribal Protection Bill, 1975 that called for distributing land to tribals, the Antony government should take steps to bring the tribal areas under the fifth schedule of the constitution to ensure self-rule to the adivasis," federation president, P K Bhaskaran, told a press meet here.
The state government should also take steps to withdraw the petition pending before the Supreme Court against the 1975 bill to pave way for its implementation that would ensure protection to the adivasis, he said. The recent initiative by the Antony government to secure forest land from the Centre for distribution to the tribals would not serve the purpose unless the tribals were allowed the right to self-rule, he said. Bureau Report