Tribal outfits protest A.P. Speaker’s remarks on ‘amending’ 1/70 Act

Tribal bandh in Andhra Pradesh against proposed 1/70 Act amendment garners widespread support, disrupting normalcy and sparking protests.

The bandh called by tribal organisations, activists, and youth associations in protest against AP Legislative Assembly Speaker Ch.Ayyanna Patrudu’s remarks about amending the 1/70 Act to attract private investment in tourism sectors within tribal areas evoked a strong response, disrupting normalcy on Tuesday. YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) leaders also extended support to the bandh.

Protests began early in the morning in areas like Paderu, Araku, Ananthagiri, and Chintapalli, among others. RTC buses were completely off the roads, and commercial establishments, autorickshaws, jeep drivers, and shopkeepers shut down their businesses in solidarity. Tourist spots, having been forewarned, remained devoid of visitors throughout the day. Tribal organisations also displayed banners and posters promoting the bandh in several locations.

Zilla Parishad chairperson J.Subadhra, former Paderu MLA K.Bhagya Lakshmi and former MP G.Madhavi, along with the tribal union members, staged protest at Paderu.

Ms. Sudbhadra condemned the remarks made by senior leader Ch Ayyanna Patrudu, calling it shameful for someone in a respectable position to make statements that would suppress the tribals and hurt their sentiments. She emphasised that amending the 1/70 Act would effectively strip away the rights of the tribals.

For her part, Ms. Bhagya Lakshmi pointed out that during its 2014-19 term, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) attempted to allow bauxite mining in the Agency, but it was the YSRCP, upon coming to power in 2019, that put a stop to it. She stated that the people could clearly see the difference between the YSRCP and TDP in their actions towards protecting tribal rights.

Tribal organisations accused the NDA government of planning to hand over tribal resources to private individuals and demanded that Ayyanna Patrudu retract his statement immediately. During the protest, demonstrators cooked food on the roads and had lunch. Some leaders also organised a ‘dhimsa dance’ at key junctions as part of the protest.

Late in the evening, Alluri Sitharama Raju District Collector A.S. Dinesh Kumar held a meeting with members of various tribal unions and other protesters. He reassured them that the State government has no plans of amending the 1/70 Act. Under the leadership of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, the government remains committed to safeguarding tribal right, he said and urged them not to fall for any rumours. He informed them that he had received representations from several tribal leaders, which he would take to the Chief Minister.