Legal literacy drive in Junglemahal

30 June 2012

biswabrata goswami
JHARGRAM, 30 JUNE: A legal literacy drive ~ the first of its kind ~ was launched in Maoist-hit Junglemahal in Jhargram in West Midnapore today to protect the rights of tribals and bring them in the mainstream
A mobile Lok Adalat was  organized by the State Legal Services Authority (SLSA) at the Jhargram additional chief judicial magistrate’s court which disposed off several pending cases.
 “A total of four benches were constituted. A huge backlog of cases is pending and this Lok Adalat was yet another measure adopted to decrease the pendency”, said Mr Sudipta Bhattacherjee, deputy secretary of SLSA. “The tribal people have a great tradition of forbearance. They should not waste their time and money in fighting prolonged legal battles,” said Justice Mr Kalyan Jyoti Sengupta of Calcutta High Court who inaugurated the programme. Justice Mr Tapan Roy of Calcutta High Court said the knowledge of Constitutional rights was essential for tribals as this would empower them to make intervention on behalf of local communities to demand justice.
Maoist posters
A number of posters bearing the name of the CPI-Maoist and “Simulpal-I Adhibasi-brinda” were found from several places in Belpahari, Simulpal, Odolchua and Kankrajhore areas in Jhargram today asking people to join an agitation programme on 2 July.