Former Jharkhand chief minister and ex-Union minister Arjun Munda on Sunday strongly criticised the Hemant Soren-led state government over the recently notified PESA Rules, alleging that they undermine the very spirit of the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996.
Munda said the long-standing demand for framing PESA Rules in Jharkhand had compelled the government to act, including due to pressure arising from court proceedings, but the final outcome was deeply flawed.
He alleged that the notified rules do not define the Gram Sabha in line with the provisions of the 1996 Act, terming it a serious deviation that amounts to a “cold-blooded murder” of the legislation. He said the rules were extensive in volume but empty in intent and substance.
Munda argued that tribal self-governance is rooted in traditional customs, religious practices and age-old systems that have existed since ancient times. He accused the state government of distorting these foundations and attempting to alter the inherent character and identity of tribal society through the new rules.
Referring to other states where PESA has been implemented, he said all of them have defined the Gram Sabha strictly in accordance with the central Act, unlike Jharkhand. He warned that dilution of the Act’s core spirit would lead to adverse consequences and weaken governance in Scheduled Areas.
He further alleged that the rules would allow administrative institutions to function at their own discretion, potentially leading to institutional erosion. Describing Jharkhand as a Fifth Schedule state that requires a sensitive approach, Munda accused the present government of being insensitive towards tribal interests and of betraying the tribal community.