Alleging that the Congress government in Chhattisgarh was anti-tribal and asserting that he would now work on building a social movement centred on tribal rights, former Union Minister Arvind Netam resigned from the party on August 10.
In his resignation letter to All India Congress Committee president Mallikarjun Kharge, the veteran leader from Bastar, who returned to the Congress fold five years ago, also made a veiled attack on Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, claiming that the State leadership disappointed him and snatched the rights of tribals.
“The State leadership has been working contrary to the constitutional rights given by Babasaheb Ambedkar to the tribal society in the State. Under the Panchayat (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA Act), the rights of the tribal society over water, forest and land have been abolished. In this way, the present government is an anti-tribal government. That’s why I am resigning from the primary membership of the party on the occasion of World Tribal Day,” his letter dated August 9, read.
