Government and parties that rubber-stamped pernicious forest bill should be questioned: Jairam Ramesh

Jairam Ramesh, a former environment minister, stated on Thursday that the government and parties who “rubber-stamped” the “insidious” Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023 should be questioned. He added that protecting the rights of forest inhabitants will be a long battle.

Following a brief debate, the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday approved the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023, despite protests and a walkout by opposition lawmakers over the Manipur issue.

In addition to allowing the construction of zoos, safaris, and eco-tourism facilities in forested areas, the measure seeks to exempt territory within 100 kilometres of the nation’s boundaries from the application of conservation rules.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh noted that “many environmentalists, who by no means are bhakts, have criticised the Opposition for having boycotted the Rajya Sabha when the amendments to the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, which many have been agitating against, were being discussed yesterday” in a tweet.

In order to be clear, he stated, “the decision to boycott was a collective decision of 26 INDIA parties because our legitimate demand for a statement by the prime minister on Manipur followed by a discussion is being refused daily and the Leader of Opposition is simply not allowed to speak.”

“I chair the Standing Committee, but the Bill had not been referred to it.

It was forwarded to a unique joint committee, which merely approved the Bill.

He claimed that everything was a total mockery of the parliamentary process.

Ramesh asserted that he has opposed the modifications on numerous occasions and will do so in the future.