Addressing a gathering in Gogunda, Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP) state president Vela Ram Ghogra said, “It is unfortunate that even after 76 years of Independence, tribals are the only section of Indian society struggling for their basic rights. The tribal areas are not owned by the tribals, and they are mere labourers in their own land. Both Congress and BJP have considered us mere voters. The time has come for us to choose the party that talks about our development.” He described Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s rally at Mangarh as an “attempt to hijack International Tribal Day”.
“Both Congress and BJP have been damaging the tribal leadership, culture, and even our beliefs. They have turned International Tribal Day into a political event. PM Narendra Modi visited Mangarh last October to announce it as a national monument, but due to his rift with Congress, he dropped it at the eleventh hour,” added Ghogra.
Vanvasi Parishad observed International Tribal Day by holding programmes at 30 places across the region. “Suppressing the demands of the tribals is not a good sign for democracy,” said Jeevraj Damor of the organisation.
