Singh regrets exclusion of tribals

New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh yesterday admitted there had been a "systemic failure" in giving tribals a stake in modern economic processes and emphasised that "equitable growth" was not possible without guaranteeing legitimate rights of these marginalised and isolated sections of society.

In a hard-hitting speech, the prime minister warned that the alienation of tribals was taking a "dangerous turn" and said the "social and economic abuse of our tribal communities can no longer be tolerated".

"There has been a systemic failure in giving the tribals a stake in the modern economic processes that inexorably intrude into their living spaces. The alienation built over decades is now taking a dangerous turn in some parts of our country," Manmohan Singh said while addressing a conference of chief ministers and state ministers of tribal affairs.

"The systematic exploitation and social and economic abuse of our tribal communities can no longer be tolerated.

"But the fact is that no sustained activity is possible under the shadow of the gun. Nor have those who claim to speak for the tribals offered an alternate economic or social path that is viable. The cult of violence will only bring greater misery to the common people," he said.

Battle for hearts

"We have to counter this threat with determination. While violence cannot be tolerated, the tribals must be the primary beneficiaries of the development process. We have to win the battle for their hearts and their mouths."

Singh's comments came as forest dwellers of Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat gathered in the capital to protest the non-implementation of the Forest Rights Act and the repression unleashed by authorities in their states.

"We cannot have equitable growth without guaranteeing the legitimate rights of these eventually marginalised and isolated sections of our society," the prime minister said.

He lamented that several states were lagging in the distribution of title deeds under the Forest Rights Act 2009 and urged them to speed up the process.

"While some states have achieved remarkable progress in the distribution of titles, others are lagging behind. In a few states, even the process of receiving claims is yet to commence. This cannot be considered as an acceptable situation," he said.

The distribution of titles, he said, was an important and necessary first step that recognises the symbiotic relationship between the forest and the forest dweller.

PM offers condolences

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh yesterday wrote to the family of a man who died at the PGIMER hospital in Chandigarh for want of timely treatment during his visit to the hospital and expressed his regrets.

"The prime minister wrote to his family and expressed regret [over the death]," an official at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) told IANS.

The official said the prime minister said the death occurred under unfortunate circumstances.

Sumit Prakash Verma, 32, died Tuesday after the vehicle carrying him to the Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) Chandigarh could not enter the emergency area in time for treatment, his relatives alleged. The prime minister was at the time visiting the hospital for its 30th convocation.