Mysore/Mysuru: Several tribals from Hunsur, Periyapatna and H.D. Kote staged a protest near the Deputy Commissioner’s Office yesterday pressing for early resolution of their pending demands including internal reservation and immediate implementation of the Forest Rights Act of 2006 as-is.

The tribal leaders, together with Dalit activists came under the banner of Karnataka Dalit Chaluvali Navanirmana Vedike as they had common grievances. They demanded the extension of internal reservations for both SCs and STs as dominant groups were taking away a major chunk of Government benefits, depriving the microscopic and marginal communities of their genuine rights.

The protesters demanded the total implementation of the Forest Rights Act to grant access to minor forest products, places of religious worship and burial grounds in their traditional forest lands.