New Delhi: The Congress party has issued a sharp rebuke against recent police actions in Chhattisgarh, accusing the BJP-led state government of using force against tribal communities to advance corporate mining interests in the Hasdeo forest.
According to Kashmir Media Service, tensions escalated in Surguja district’s Hasdeo forest when tribal protestors and police clashed near the villages of Fatehpur and Sali. The conflict arose from community efforts to prevent the removal of trees for the Parsa coal block mining project, which plans to clear approximately 5,000 trees across six villages. The confrontation led to several injuries among the demonstrators, who were attempting to protect their traditional forest lands.
Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, was quick to criticize the government’s approach, characterizing it as a gross violation of tribal rights. In a statement posted on X, he accused the BJP of forcibly seizing tribal lands through violent means, undermining the fundamental rights of the Hasdeo region’s indigenous populations.
Further intensifying the political backlash, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra voiced her solidarity with the affected tribal communities. She highlighted the perceived injustice of displacing indigenous groups to accommodate the mining interests of prominent industrialists, notably referencing Gautam Adani. “The tribals, who have been the rightful stewards of these forests for centuries, are being evicted to facilitate the operations of Adani ji’s mines,” she stated, drawing attention to the broader implications of such policies on tribal sovereignty and environmental stewardship.