Forest Rights Act: Karat writes to Javadekar over 'absence' of top law officials

CPI (M) Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat on Friday wrote a letter to Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar, expressing concern over the "absence" of top law officials during the Supreme Court hearing on a petition challenging the Forest Rights Act.

New Delhi:Expressing concern over the ongoing petition in the Supreme Court Challenging the Forest Rights Act, CPI (M) Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat on Friday wrote a letter to Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar.

In her letter, Karat said that on crucial dates of the court hearing, there was no senior legal representative of the Centre to defend the law.

"It is a matter of deep concern and objection that on crucial dates of the court hearing, there is no senior legal representative of the Central Government to defend the law. Yesterday, that is on September 12th, while taking up the case, the Court specifically asked whether the Solicitor General was present, but he was conspicuous by his absence. There was no one to argue against the fresh applications moved by the petitioners against the interests of lakhs of tribal communities who are forest dwellers," she wrote.

She added that there was a strong feeling of 'unease' that the absence of top law officials is 'not coincidence but connivance'. "This feeling gets strengthened when it is known that the Ministry of Tribal Affairs had specifically written to concerned people to ensure the presence of the SG," she said.

Karat further said that the three applications moved by the petitioners should have been strongly opposed by the Government.

"For the last year and a half, step by step, the outrageous legal challenge to the FRA is going forward without any defence by the Central Government," she wrote.

"The next date of hearing is fixed for November 26th. I hope you will personally give it some attention so as to take corrective measures," she added.

Earlier on September 12, the Supreme Court said that forest areas across the country like Pachmarhi and Gir are "finished" due to urbanisation and construction of five-star hotels for politicians, social workers, and even courts are "responsible".

Hearing the matter related to the eviction of around 11.8lakh alleged illegal forest dweller and tribals across the country, the Supreme court termed it as "quite an important issue" and said it would hear final arguments on November 26.

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