Opinion Tribal policy

An article in People’s Democracy says the commercialisation of tribal culture has become more rampant than ever. “It is only likely to increase in the neo-liberal era and is part of a larger process of [the state’s withdrawal from its social,economic and political responsibilities. Thus,this trend can be combated only if the image being marketed by the tourist companies is demystified through a sustained campaign against the assaults on tribal areas,” it says.

Giving a historical perspective,it says the perception of “tribal culture” as unique is not a creation of the neo-liberal regime as it has its roots in the development strategy of the Nehruvian era when “tribal Panchsheel” was born out of the idea that the uplift of tribal people had to take place through a slow process of their “modernisation” even while their culture had to be preserved. It also observed that“while the cultural and political rights of tribal people were given due importance,their economic rights over land,natural resources and basic services were ignored.”

It also suggests the intrusion of the market through the tourism industry now should also be seen as a neo-liberal state’s policy to dilute the protection accorded to tribal areas under Schedule V of the Constitution.

Left write

The Left is slowly sharpening its attack on Mamata Banerjee after remaining largely silent for the first six months after the regime change in West Bengal. The New Age editorial says the state is in “total chaos” and has become a “hallmark of misgovernance.” “As the ruling party is a one-woman party,the sole responsibility lies on the ‘leader’. Since the change of regime,West Bengal is witnessing one gruesome incident after another,” it notes.

Mr Prime Minister?

An article in People’s Democracy attacks Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for his speech at the recently-held Indian Labour Conference. “As usual,he did not have enough time to hear the views of the workers’ representatives,” it says. It slams him for talking about the need for taking a “critical look” at the existing regulatory framework in the labour sector to ascertain whether parts of it were “unnecessarily” affecting employment growth,enterprise and industry without contributing to labour welfare.

“This utter insensitivity to the workers becomes all the more glaring when the prime minister and his government are fully aware that violation of labour laws in our country has become the norm rather than an exception and one of the major demands on which the entire trade union movement of the country has called for [a joint countrywide general strike was the strict implementation of labour laws,” it says. It added it was the “PMO that pressured the rural development ministry to appeal against the high court order on [the payment of minimum wages to the NREGA workers on par with the state minimum wages. Probably the PM has yet to come to terms with the Supreme Court judgment upholding the high court order.”

Compiled by Manoj C.G.