Bhubaneswar: Tensions flared in the Rajya Sabha as Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and BJD MP Sasmit Patra engaged in a heated exchange during discussions regarding the Constitution (Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) Order Amendment Bill, 2024, which was passed on Tuesday.
The crux of the dispute arose from Pradhan’s assertion that the Odisha government, through a cabinet decision, attempted to encroach upon the lands of Scheduled Tribes, which are safeguarded under Article 244 (Prevention of Land Alienation). He alleged that the state government’s move amounted to tampering with constitutional provisions, with the intent to sell off the land belonging to the ST community.
Acknowledging the subsequent withdrawal of the decision following protests and resentment from tribal communities, Pradhan expressed gratitude for the reversal but cautioned against potential future attempts to manipulate tribal land rights. He called for a stern warning from the central government to dissuade any further interference with constitutional safeguards, not only in Odisha but across all states.
In response, Sasmit Patra vehemently opposed Pradhan’s remarks, condemning them as an attempt to undermine the constitutional authority of the Odisha Cabinet. Patra emphasized that the Odisha Cabinet, being a constitutional institution akin to the Council of States, derived its power from the Constitution, and thus, disparaging its decisions was unwarranted.
Patra refuted Pradhan’s allegations, asserting that there was never a proposal to sell tribal land and clarified that the cabinet decision aimed to address the plight of tribal individuals who wished to mortgage their land for educational purposes. He emphasized that the decision was promptly rescinded by the cabinet, and seeking a warning from the center amounted to an assault on the federal structure.
