She alleged that TRI officials have oppressed, victimised and harassed its incumbent joint director by preventing him from executing his official duties.

The official files are not routed through the joint director against the order of the administrative department (TA and Hills, TRI) and the contractual service of the joint director is not regularised, she added.

As a result, the TRI has failed to celebrate Annual State Level Tribal Festival for almost five years; failed to tap funds from the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and no efforts was made to increase the funds for the TRI in the state budget, she further said, adding, TRI also failed to offer M Phil, PhD, postdoctoral and senior research fellowships till date.

Moreover, the TRI has failed to create at least 15 research posts to make it a real research institute as it must serve as a body of knowledge and a think tank of tribal society as desired by the ministry in its operation guidelines for TRIs, she added.

She further pointed out that the service of a regular joint director is of extreme necessity for the smooth functioning of the TRI. The present joint director who is an expert in tribal matters as a Ph D scholar of Social Science from the tribal community must be regularised at the earliest to take up the challenging functions of the institute, she maintained.

She mentioned that memorandums had been served to the chief minister, TA and Hills minister and commissioner in this regard; however, the state government has not taken up any positive steps till date.