Mangarh (Banswara): Sounding the poll bugle for assembly polls in Rajasthan, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi arrived at Mangarh Dham in Banswara district on Wednesday to address the tribals. Describing tribals as original inhabitants and owners of land and forests in the country, Rahul Gandi said that Congress considers tribals as the owners of this country.
Rahul Gandhi criticised the BJP for calling tribals 'Vanvasi' instead of Adivasi, saying that it was an insult to them. He said the BJP calls tribals "Vanvasi, snatches their jungles and gives them to Adani". Whereas Congress wants the tribals to get their rights and their dreams to be fulfilled, he said.
"The Congress party is keen on fulfilling the dreams of 'Adivasis', but the BJP says that you are 'Vanvasi' and stay confined to forests and remain as forest dwellers, which is an insult to the community," said the Congress leader on the occasion of World Tribal Day.
BJP has coined a new word Vanvasi. The meaning of 'Vanvasi' is those staying in the forest. So, the 'Advasis' living in the forest are not the original inhabitants or owners (Maalik) of this country. They are the 'Vanvasi' living in forests. This is an insult to Bharat Mata and tribals.
Furthermore, the Congress leader alleged that the Prime Minister has divided Manipur and for the past two-three months, it seems that the northeastern state is not a part of India. "The ideology of the BJP has set Manipur on fire. People are being killed...women are raped... If Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants, the fire in Manipur can be doused in two-three days, but he wants to keep the fire raging," he added.
Manipur has been engulfed in ethnic violence since May 3. More than 150 people have been killed in clashes between the majority of Meiteis and the tribal Kuki community. The rally, organised on the occasion of World Tribal Day, marks the beginning of the Congress campaign for the assembly polls in Rajasthan later this year.
