The New Indian Express ·
'Forced abdication': Congress slams tribal ministry stance on Gram Sabha consent under FRA
The Congress on Tuesday termed as "shocking" the alleged shift in the stance of the tribal ministry on the consent role of the Gram Sabha under the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, saying it reflected a serious misunderstanding of the law and an abdication of the ministry's statutory responsibility.
The opposition party said the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) cannot simply distance itself from the operation of the FRA, 2006, as doing so would not only undermine the law's statutory scheme but also make a mockery of the law and the communities it was enacted to protect.
Congress general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh said that on August 31, 2026, the tribal affairs ministry had communicated to the Union Ministry of Power that there was no provision in the FRA, 2006 requiring Gram Sabha consent for projects involving diversion of forest land for non-forest purposes, and that "such matters" therefore fell outside its jurisdiction.
