Manipur, Nov. 15 -- The Government of India is completely withdrawing the draft amendment to the Indian Forest Act, 1927 and tribal rights will be fully protected, Union Environment and Forest Minister Prakash Javadekar said in Delhi on Friday.

Javadekar said the central government for the past five years have always worked in the interests of tribal people and forest dwellers and as such will not give space to misgivings.

"We are completely withdrawing the draft amendment to the Indian Forests Act to remove any misgivings, the tribal rights will be protected fully and they will continue to be the important stakeholder in forest development," Javadekar was quoted as saying in a PIB release.

He clarified that it was a techno-legal exerc...