Need for protection of tribal cultures and customs stressed

A one-day lecture on ‘Tribal law, customs and judiciary through the ages in India: Special reference to Andhra Pradesh’ was conducted in hybrid mode, both virtual and physical, by the Tribal Cultural Research & Training Mission (TCR&TM) at its premises at Rushikonda on Thursday.

The lecture was organised as part of the Jan Jatiya Gaurav Divas-2024 and the 150th birth anniversary of Bisra Munda, noted tribal freedom fighter.

V. Vijaya Lakshmi, former Principal of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Law College, Andhra University, who participated as guest speaker, spoke on a wide range of issues concerning the tribal people in India, in general, and AP, in particular. She described culture and its relationship with forest and land. The varied behaviour and practices of different tribal communities gives them a unique identity. The tribal communities have sought recognition of the way of their life and their right to traditional lands, territories and natural resources.

She elaborated on how customary law could be defined as a set of rules that attain force of law in society because they were observed continuously and uniformly for a long time. The customs of a tribe were handed over from one generation to the next. She also explained about protection of tribals under the Constitutional laws and other laws such as Forest Rights Act, 2006, and other Scheduled Tribes and other Traditional Forest Dwellers Act, more importantly educational and cultural safeguards including instruction in their mother tongue.

Prof. Vijaya Lakshmi also spoke on social safeguards of the tribes, protection against human trafficking and other similar forms of forced labour (Article 23) and forbidding child labour (Article 24). She also covered all aspects of legal, social, economic and political safeguards, and highlighted the implementation of government schemes for the overall well-being of tribal communities. She also mentioned the landmark judgements, major judicial pronouncements and the Samata judgment. Tribal customs should be protected in all respects and their rights recognised, she concluded.

Earlier, Rani Manda, Executive Director of TCR&TM, welcomed the gathering. P. Sankar Rao, Professor and Curator, Museum Wing, TCR&TM, proposed a vote of thanks.