Addressing a poll rally in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday accused the BJP and the RSS of attacking tribal identity and giving away forests to billionaires.
“People of the BJP and the RSS attack your religion, your ideology, your languages and your history. Forests are decreasing in India and who is doing that? People of the BJP are handing over forest land to billionaires like [industrialist Gautam] Adani ji. A day will come when there will be no forest in India and then the BJP and RSS will tell you that you are a vanvasi (forest dweller) and now there are no forests, you do not belong anywhere,” he said, drawing a distinction between the word adivasi (indigenous) and vanvasi that he said was being used by the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for tribals.
At the rally seeking support for Kawasi Lakhma, the Congress candidate from Bastar, a reserved constituency for the Scheduled Tribe, Mr. Gandhi said adivasis were the first and real owners of land, water and forest. He said the Congress sought to defend their rights.
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“Those who call you adivasis, they believe that you have a right on India’s land, water and forest and you have the first right. Those who say adivasi, they respect and protect your religion, language, your way of living, your history. On the other hand those who call you vanvasi, they feel you have no stake in India,” he said.
Mr. Gandhi said President Droupadi Murmu was prevented from attending the consecration of Ram temple in Ayodhya as she is a tribal and said that it reflected “the BJP’s mentality”.
The former Congress President termed the upcoming Lok Sabha elections as a fight between two ideologies involving those seeking to protect the Constitution and those out to destroy it. He accused the BJP of working towards the interests of industrialists, saying it had given the country’s wealth to a few select people after stealing it from farmers, labourers, tribals, Dalits and backward communities.
“Narendra Modi ji waived loans worth Rs 16 lakh crores of those 22 to 25 people. The amount is equal to MNREGA money for 24 years which was just handed to these 22 people,” he said.
Mr. Gandhi said welfare delivery would be possible only after a headcount of the marginalised sections and the Congress, if it won the elections, would do a caste census.
Listing the highlights of the Congress’ manifesto, the Waynad MP promised to fill 30 lakh government posts and give apprenticeship for one year to anyone holding a degree or diploma where Rs 1 lakh will be deposited in their bank account. He said a Congress government will end contractual jobs system and give permanent jobs in the public sector. “We will give Rs 1 lakh to one woman per family from below poverty line and will reserve 50% government jobs for women,” he said.
