Chhattisgarh has 30.6 per cent the highest percentage of Schedule Tribe (ST) in its population.  However, large scale alienations of tribes from land and forest are ongoing dreadfully. Instead of safeguarding their rights the state has mastered a violence fuelling technique of Salwa Judum to counter naxalism. The Fifth and Sixth Schedule of the Indian constitution enable devolution of power to create autonomous structures safeguarding tribal traditions and practices. Importantly, guarantees protection of tribal land rights. Over the years due to gross negligence and non-committal attitude of the state government towards solving issues in tribal areas, the contradiction between the tribal community and the state is translating itself into an open conflict in many areas. The paper reviews the actual situation on ground and promises made by the Chhattisgarh government on issues of tribal land rights; and fifth schedule. To do so the paper juxtaposes various issues identified by the Chhattisgarh Tribal Advisory Council, reported during 2005-2011; and the state response.  

 

Keywords: Fifth Schedule; Land; Tribal Right.