Bhubaneswar, Nov. 24: Bowing down to the Opposition pressure, the Odisha government on Friday sent its decision on tribal land sale to Tribal Advisory Council (TAC) for reconsideration.

The decision was taken in a Cabinet meeting held early in the morning, before the forenoon session of the Odisha Legislative Assembly began.

On November 14, the State Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had cleared a proposal that sought to revoke the current restrictions on sale of tribal lands to non-tribal lands.

The Opposition – the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress – dubbed the state government’s move a “panic reaction” to the rising discontentment of tribal communities across the state.

“Since tribals across the state are up in arms against the state government’s decision to allow sale of tribal lands to non-tribals, the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has now no other option than to seek an exist route. That’s why they have sent the Cabinet decision to TAV for reconsideration. We want complete withdrawal of the decision,” said Opposition chief whip and senior BJP lawmaker Mohan Charan Majhi.

Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Narasingha Mishra said, “When the Cabinet has power to withdraw its decision, why did it send it (decision) to TAC for reconsideration? This is clearly a diversionary tactic. The Congress will not accept anything less than complete withdrawal of the Cabinet decision on tribal land sale.”

Soon after giving its nod to sale of tribal lands to non-tribals, the Odisha government had issued a press release in which it justified the decision. It said the decision was taken as per the recommendation of the Scheduled Tribe Advisory Council.

"An ST person may, with the written permission of the Sub-Collector, make a gift or exchange for public purposes or obtain a loan by security a mortgage in a public financial institution for agriculture, construction of residential house, higher studies of children, self-employment, business or establishment of small-scale industries or transfer the same in favour of a person not belonging to ST for the above purpose. But after such a transfer, he should not be landless or homestead-less. If the Sub-Collector does not grant permission, the person can appeal to the Collector within six months, whose decision shall be final," the press release said.

The Orissa Scheduled Areas Transfer of Immovable Property (By Scheduled Tribes) Amendment Regulation, 2000 which got assent of the President of India on September 4, 2002, clearly forbids sale of tribal lands to non-tribals. It also restricts that mortgage of tribal lands only to public financial institutes.

The Opposition maintains that the ruling BJD has hatched a "conspiracy" to facilitate tribal land grabbing by affluent non-tribals and corporate entities.

Sensing that a strong discontentment is shimmering in the scheduled areas (tribal-dominated pockets), the state revenue minister Sudam Marndi on November 17 had declared that the decision has been put on hold.

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