Bengaluru, 5 December 2022: In a previous meeting held on 26 May 2022, upon the direction of Ministry of Home Affairs, FFR Division in relation to Tibetan Rehabilitation Policy 2014 and the Parliamentary Assurance Q.No.2311 raised by Sh. Sujeet Kumar, Hon’ble MP, Lok Sabha (BJD), a follow up meeting was held at Mysuru MP office under the chairmanship of Revenue Secretary Sh.N. Jayaram, Government of Karnataka on 3 December 2022. Representations from the concerned officials and higher executives from Mysuru and Chamrajnagar Districts including DC Mysuru, AC Periyapatna, ADC Chamrajnagar, Tahsildhars of Periyapatna and Hunsur Taluk were all presented during the meeting. It was also informed to the CRO that the meeting with Uttara Kanada officials shall be convened during the winter assembly session at Belgaum from 19 to 29 December 2022.
Chief Representative revisited the Eight Folded Points of 26 May 2022 meeting and expressed the desire to know what the State Government of Karnataka could have initiated upon the same. He underlined upon the information and observation that were presented during the meeting from the officials including RDPR – some of them were not properly well informed about the status and norms as enshrined in Tibetan Rehabilitation Policy-2014.
Chief Representative presented the case of RTC (Rent Tenancy Certificate) in TRP 2014 Policy but in Karnataka RTC (Records of Rights, Tenancy & Crops) – the difference in its interpretation. Copy of RTC issued by Government of Odisha was also presented before the Revenue Secretary. He presented the columns of RTC, including 9 & 11, as reflected in Point No. 5 of the proceedings of 26 May 2022 meeting. Whereas in some RTC, the column no.9 states as SARKARA and some as FOREST. Having this information coded in the RTC Column no.9, Tibetan Farmers/Cultivators remain deprived of availing those facilitations as other local cultivators can.
Between the lines, Chief Representative informed Revenue Secretary that as per TRP-2014, the Lease Agreement between the State Representative and Central Tibetan Relief Committee (represented by Tibetan Settlement Officer) has so far been executed at Doeguling Tibetan Settlement, Mundgod (2016); Rabgyeling Tibetan Settlement, Hunsur (2017) and Dhondenling, Tibetan Settlement, Kollegal (2019).
Whereas, Chief Representative, in his continuing submission before the Revenue Secretary, remarked that Dekyi Larsoe Tibetan Settlement couldn’t have executed the Lease Agreement due to the confiscation of lease land (before TRP-2014) by the forest department in 2018. Wild animal encroachment, specifically elephant encroachment, severely damages the crops’ prolonged compensations and bonded labour issues attached to this confiscation.
In addition, the transfer of TSOs in both the settlements of Bylakuppe has been one of the reasons behind the non-procurement of Lease Agreement as per TRP-2014.
The Revenue Secretary reaffirmed that the State Government of Karnataka should look into all these matters concerned with Tibetan people according to the law of the land.
Before this meeting, CRO and all the Five TSOs met for a preparatory meeting held at CRO’s office, Bengaluru, on 1 December 2022, where the points were discussed to be presented during the respective meetings. The meeting went from 4:30 pm to 07:30 pm.
Later in the night, as formally invited, all the above officials attended the wedding reception of Harshitha Reddy, the daughter of PWD Secretary Sh. K.S. Krishna Reddy presented the souvenirs while wishing her good wishes on behalf of all the Tibetans in Karnataka State.
On 2 December, the delegation had a courtesy meeting with Sh. N. Jayaram, Secretary of the Revenue Department, under whose chairmanship the upcoming meetings have to be organised. The delegation presented him with a thangka painting of Lord Buddha, introduced the respective settlement officers and expressed constructive days of engagement and support from the State Government of Karnataka.
Followed by this, the delegation met Sh. Abdul Azeem, Chairman of Karnataka State Minority Commission, Bengaluru, presented before him the challenges and lethargies in applying the benefits for minorities within the preview of Buddhist Monastic Universities and schools. Sh. Azeem patiently heard all the submissions and assured that his office should look into these issues and do the best in the interest of Buddhist minorities.
-Report filed by CRO, South Zone