Tribal Surveillance in MP | Madhya Pradesh | 03 Mar 2025

Why in News? 

Forest rights activists and lawyers across the country criticized the Madhya Pradesh government for issuing a discriminatory executive order against tribal and forest dwellers, allowing search and surveillance of ‘infamous hunting communities’ in various forest circles. 

 Key Points 

• Order Lacks Legal Basis: 
  • A forest rights activist called the order draconian and stated that it lacks any legal foundation. 
  • He highlighted that the British colonial administration had once categorized certain tribes as criminals under the Criminal Tribes Act of 1871, which was repealed after independence and led to their denotification. 
• The Government Order: 
  • On 29^th January 2025, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), Madhya Pradesh, issued an order for: 
    • Extensive search and surveillance of nomadic tribes, including the Pardhi community, a Scheduled Tribe in Madhya Pradesh. 
    • Targeted search operations in the forest circles of Narmadapuram, Seoni, Chhindwara, Betul, Bhopal, Jabalpur, and Balaghat. 
    • Use of dog squads to conduct searches at the homes of nomadic tribes. 
    • Mandatory documentation of the denotified tribes’ presence at the nearest police station. 
    • Surveillance of tribal traders selling household plastic items, bedsheets, herbs, and plants in tiger corridors. 
• Colonial Mindset and Legal Violations: 
  • It was pointed out that the Forest Department is stereotyping nomadic tribes as habitual criminals, which contradicts multiple Supreme Court judgments. 
  • Experts argue that the order violates rights under the Forest Rights Act, 2006, which ensures: 
    • Right to reside and cultivate forest land 
    • Access to forest produce 
    • Community tenure rights over habitats 
    • Seasonal resource access for nomadic and pastoralist communities 
    • Protection Under SC/ST Act & Potential Legal Repercussions 
    • Tribal rights also receive protection under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.