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Chenchu Solidarity Forum (CSF), an activist collective that addresses issues affecting the Chenchu tribe, has raised concerns over a rally held in Achampet on April 27 that claimed there was no forcible relocation of Adivasis. The CSF’s concerns were in the backdrop of claims made by Telangana authorities who stated that the Chenchus were voluntarily consenting to relocation from the Amrabad Tiger Reserve in Nagarkurnool district.
In a statement, the forum said that, based on preliminary observations and ground reports, a majority of participants in the rally appeared to be non-Adivasis, with only a few members from the Chenchu community.
CSF further claimed that the rally seemed to be largely led by non-Adivasis and predominantly male participants, as seen in videos. In contrast, it pointed to representations made by Chenchu women, men and youth at Telangana’s grievance redressal portal Prajavani and during a consultation in Hyderabad on April 17, where they reportedly opposed relocation and asserted their forest rights.
The forum said the visible support for relocation from non-Adivasi groups reflected what it described as undue interference by those outside Scheduled Areas, undermining the constitutional protections of the Chenchu Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG). It also alleged that statements were being made on behalf of the community, portraying them as willing to relocate.
Referring to comments made by a few Chenchu participants at the rally, CSF noted that relocation support was linked to the lack of basic facilities such as roads, healthcare and education. It argued that this indicated long-standing deprivation of essential services within forest areas, leading communities to believe that development is only possible outside them.
The forum said such conditions violated legal safeguards governing consent for relocation under laws including the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA), the Forest Rights Act (FRA), the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act (LARR), and guidelines of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA). It cited the Union Tribal Affairs Ministry guidelines stating that consent cannot be obtained through coercive or restrictive measures.
CSF alleged that consent processes were being bypassed without proper Gram Sabha resolutions and due legal procedures, including instances of alleged signature forgery. It emphasised that Chenchus, as a PVTG, are particularly vulnerable and often lack access to information about their legal rights and the implications of relocation.
Condemning what it termed as pressure tactics to demonstrate “voluntary consent,” the forum called on both the Telangana and the Union governments to ensure the protection of the Chenchu community’s legal and constitutional rights, as well as their safety and well-being.
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