INDIA
Tribal Affairs Minister V Kishore Chandra Deo had on Friday advocated for the inclusion of Jarawas into the mainstream.
As the Centre plans to discuss the possibility of inclusion of Jarawa tribes of Andaman and Nicobar Islands into the mainstream, tribal rights body 'Survival International' on Satuday said such steps would be prove to be a disaster.
"Any attempt to keep the Jarawas in the mainstream by force would be a disaster," the London-based Survival said in a statement on Saturday.
"Forcibly assimilating tribal people into national society has been viewed as unacceptable by the international community for decades. Its catastrophic impact on tribal people has been widely acknowledged..." it said.
In the wake of a recent video footage showing semi-naked tribal women dancing before tourists, Tribal Affairs Minister V Kishore Chandra Deo had on Friday advocated for the inclusion of Jarawas into the mainstream.
"As far as my personal view is concerned, it would be totally unfair to leave them (Jarawa) in a beastly condition forever. At the same time I am certainly not the one who would like to expose them to mall and junk culture," he had said.
Survival's campaigner Sophie Grig said, "Minister Deo must move away from the idea that tribes will inevitably end up 'mainstream-ed' or that their life is 'primitive' or 'beastly'".
The Jarawa have thrived in their forests for more than 55,000 years they may be poor in monetary terms but their health and quality of life is visibly better than that of the Great Andamanese tribes who've been given the benefits of the mainstream, she claimed.
Demanding that the Jarawa have the right to self-determination, the NGO said only the tribals can decide as to what kind of developments they want in their lives.
A report by Survival International shows that when tribal people around the world have been forced into the mainstream, rates of disease, depression, addiction and suicide have soared.
The Jarawas, estimated to be around 400 in population now, live in the reserve forests on South Andamans and have largely shun contact with the outside world.
Under the Protection of Aboriginal Tribes Regulation, 1956, any attempt to contact Jarawas, photographing them, stopping vehicles while transiting through their land or offering them rides is a punishable offence.
Bypolls: Priyanka Gandhi gains comfortable lead in Wayanad, BJP leads on Nanded Lok Sabha seat
IND vs AUS 1st Test: Jasprit Bumrah equals Kapil Dev's record with fifer against Australia
Ind vs Aus Test series: Anushka Sharma cheers for Virat Kohli in Perth, opts for casual outfit
Meet man, who is richest person in modern history, his net worth has surged to...
Bigg Boss 18: Alice Kaushik out from Salman Khan's house? Here's what we know
BIG challenge for Mukesh Ambani as Noel Tata makes this move after Ratan Tata's death, it is...
Neelam Kothari finally reveals if she was in relationship with Govinda: ‘In those days we were…’
SEBI's first reaction on Gautam Adani bribery case, begins inquiry into...
Meet Hyderabad girl who began NEET preparation in class 7, scored 99.9 percentile, secured AIR...
Badshah breaks his silence on dating rumours with Pakistani star Hania Aamir: ‘We have a lot of…’
Delhi pollution: Air quality deteriorates to 'severe' category in Delhi-NCR; AQI at 419
'I think bro is her EX': Man performs risky bike stunt with burqa-clad woman in Bangladesh, watch
Viral video: Little girl's power-packed dance to 'beer song' melts hearts online, watch
Explained: Why India must win the 1st Test against Australia in Perth
Raima Sen mourns Bharat Dev Varma's demise, pens emotional note for 'great father, great husband'
DNA TV Show: Ahead of Maharashtra poll results, MVA, Mahayuti engage in resort politics
Maharashtra: Stage set for assembly poll results; Mahayuti, MVA confident of their victories
All set for vote counting in Jharkhand tomorrow; NDA, JMM-led alliances confident of winning
Watch: Australia star inquires Rishabh Pant about his next IPL team, gets 2-word reply
Shah Rukh Khan’s house Mannat was first offered to his industry rival…, but he refused because...
The Visionary Who Promises a Blue Sky for India: Holger Thorsten Schubart’s G20 Climate Speech
The Surge of High-End Living: Luxury Residential Market to Outpace Other Segments
FeFCon 2024 to be Held in Bangalore: A Premier Event on Fever Management
'That’s wild': Noida man turns cigarette butts into teddy bears in viral video, watch
London Airport evacuates passengers over security threat, thousands stranded
The World’s First Innovative Iron Supplement to Combat Iron Deficiency and Anaemia
Meet grandmother who became fashion icon after trying on her granddaughter’s clothes
IND vs AUS: Rishabh Pant joins Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma in elite WTC list, becomes 3rd Indian to...
'All scripted drama...': Puneet Superstar allegedly assaulted by influencers in viral video, watch
Actress Ana de Armas caught kissing Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel’s son in viral photos
Oreshnik's Shadow: Will Russia's hypersonic missile force west to back down?
‘You’re So Beautiful’: World’s tallest woman meets world’s shortest woman over tea, pics go viral
Delhi-NCR Air Pollution: Consequences of GRAP-4 are drastic, may have adverse effects, says SC
Delhi-NCR Air Pollution: Schools likely to stay closed till..., check city-wise update
Maharashtra: 3 killed, 9 hospitalised after gas leak at fertiliser plant in Sangli
THIS farm is selling a cup of coffee for Rs 28000, but there's a twist, it is...
Chhattisgarh: 10 Maoists killed after encounter with security personnel in Sukma
Mukesh Ambani's SUPERHIT plan for Jio users, offers unlimited 5G access for 1 year for just Rs...
IND vs AUS 1st Test: KL Rahul's dismissal sparks DRS controversy in Perth Test
Dense fog, heavy rain predicted in these states till November 25; check here