News Analysis India

Tag: Tribals

  • Manipur: Kuki-Zo groups demand release of arrested tribals within 48 hours

    By Express News Service

    GUWAHATI: Kuki-Zo organisations in strife-torn Manipur registered a protest on Monday against the arrest of five tribals by central agencies and demanded their release within 48 hours.

    Normal life came to a grinding halt in the Kuki-majority hill district of Churachandpur during an indefinite shutdown which was called by some tribal organisations. All shops and business establishments remained shut while vehicles were off the road. 

    The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had arrested four tribals, including two women, from Henglep in Churachandpur on Monday by intercepting a Bolero. The arrests were made in connection with the abduction and killing of two Meitei students. 

    Two minor girls – daughters of one of the arrested women and travelling in the vehicle – were also taken into custody. After the six persons were flown out of Manipur to Guwahati in Assam by the evening, the two children were handed over to the District Child Protection Officer, Kamrup Metro district in Guwahati for their care.

    The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had also arrested another tribal in a case related to a transnational conspiracy by insurgent groups based in Myanmar and Bangladesh to wage a war against India by exploiting the unrest in Manipur.

    The Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) and the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) condemned the “selective haste” of the central agencies in arresting the persons.

    “If the CBI can act with such swiftness, why has it not arrested anyone in more heinous cases, like the rape and murder of two tribal girls in Imphal, burning of a 7-year-old tribal boy along with his mother and aunt, torture and beheading of a tribal youth, and so many other acts of atrocities against tribals?” the ITLF asked.

    The CoTU condemned the CBI and the NIA for their alleged attempt to bring “one-sided” justice. The tribal organisation said it was “compelled to impose an emergency shutdown” on National Highway 37 – the lifeline of Manipur – till the authorities expedite the safe release of one of the “abducted” persons “Satthang Kipgen”.

    Further, the organisation served an “ultimatum” on the home ministry to direct the central agencies to release the arrested persons within 48 hours, initiate a probe against “Meitei criminals” and convict them for “natural justice”.

    GUWAHATI: Kuki-Zo organisations in strife-torn Manipur registered a protest on Monday against the arrest of five tribals by central agencies and demanded their release within 48 hours.

    Normal life came to a grinding halt in the Kuki-majority hill district of Churachandpur during an indefinite shutdown which was called by some tribal organisations. All shops and business establishments remained shut while vehicles were off the road. 

    The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had arrested four tribals, including two women, from Henglep in Churachandpur on Monday by intercepting a Bolero. The arrests were made in connection with the abduction and killing of two Meitei students. googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Two minor girls – daughters of one of the arrested women and travelling in the vehicle – were also taken into custody. After the six persons were flown out of Manipur to Guwahati in Assam by the evening, the two children were handed over to the District Child Protection Officer, Kamrup Metro district in Guwahati for their care.

    The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had also arrested another tribal in a case related to a transnational conspiracy by insurgent groups based in Myanmar and Bangladesh to wage a war against India by exploiting the unrest in Manipur.

    The Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) and the Committee on Tribal Unity (CoTU) condemned the “selective haste” of the central agencies in arresting the persons.

    “If the CBI can act with such swiftness, why has it not arrested anyone in more heinous cases, like the rape and murder of two tribal girls in Imphal, burning of a 7-year-old tribal boy along with his mother and aunt, torture and beheading of a tribal youth, and so many other acts of atrocities against tribals?” the ITLF asked.

    The CoTU condemned the CBI and the NIA for their alleged attempt to bring “one-sided” justice. The tribal organisation said it was “compelled to impose an emergency shutdown” on National Highway 37 – the lifeline of Manipur – till the authorities expedite the safe release of one of the “abducted” persons “Satthang Kipgen”.

    Further, the organisation served an “ultimatum” on the home ministry to direct the central agencies to release the arrested persons within 48 hours, initiate a probe against “Meitei criminals” and convict them for “natural justice”.

  • Farmers, tribals marching towards Mumbai in support of demands enter Thane district

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Thousands of farmers and tribals marching towards Mumbai from Nashik district in North Maharashtra in support of their demands entered Thane district on Wednesday.

    The protesters started their foot march from Dindori town in Nashik district, around 200km from Mumbai, on Sunday in support of their various demands, including an immediate financial relief of Rs 600 per quintal to onion growers, uninterrupted electricity supply for 12 hours and a waiver of agriculture loans.

    The march, organised by the Communist Party of India (Marxist), has crossed Kasara town in Thane district located adjoining Mumbai, said CPI(M) MLA Vinod Nikole.

    The protesters are likely to reach Mumbai on March 20, Nikole said.

    The MLA said a delegation of Maharashtra ministers is slated to hold talks with representatives of the protesting cultivators.

    The Maharashtra government on Monday announced an ex-gratia relief of Rs 300 per quintal to onion farmers severely affected by a steep fall in prices of the commodity.

    Prices of the kitchen staple have crashed in Maharashtra, resulting in farmers getting very little for their produce.

    Nashik district is a major hub of onion cultivation in the country.

    READ MORE | Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Tamil Nadu among 11 states with reduced number of insured farmers

    MUMBAI: Thousands of farmers and tribals marching towards Mumbai from Nashik district in North Maharashtra in support of their demands entered Thane district on Wednesday.

    The protesters started their foot march from Dindori town in Nashik district, around 200km from Mumbai, on Sunday in support of their various demands, including an immediate financial relief of Rs 600 per quintal to onion growers, uninterrupted electricity supply for 12 hours and a waiver of agriculture loans.

    The march, organised by the Communist Party of India (Marxist), has crossed Kasara town in Thane district located adjoining Mumbai, said CPI(M) MLA Vinod Nikole.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    The protesters are likely to reach Mumbai on March 20, Nikole said.

    The MLA said a delegation of Maharashtra ministers is slated to hold talks with representatives of the protesting cultivators.

    The Maharashtra government on Monday announced an ex-gratia relief of Rs 300 per quintal to onion farmers severely affected by a steep fall in prices of the commodity.

    Prices of the kitchen staple have crashed in Maharashtra, resulting in farmers getting very little for their produce.

    Nashik district is a major hub of onion cultivation in the country.

    READ MORE | Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Tamil Nadu among 11 states with reduced number of insured farmers

  • Northeast tribals with sickle cell disease are outliving other afflicted tribals: Study

    Express News Service

    GUWAHATI: Tribals in the Northeast with sickle cell disease (SCD) live longer than fellow tribals suffering from the same disease elsewhere in India, a study conducted by Assam’s Bodoland University found.

    SCD (also called sickle cell anaemia) is one of the most prevalent blood genetic disorders which is caused by sickle-shaped haemoglobin and is common among tribals.

    About 2.3 per cent of the world’s population carries this defective haemoglobin. Around 44,000 children are born every year in India with SCD. 

    The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) had entrusted different institutions to conduct a multi-centric study on the disease from 2019 to 2022 in six districts – Udalguri in Assam (Northeast), Kandhamal in Odisha (Eastern India), Mysuru in Karnataka (Southern India), Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh (Southern India), Annupur in Madhya Pradesh (Central India) and Chotaudeypur in Gujarat. 

    In each district, four primary health centre (PHC) areas, predominantly inhabited by tribals, were identified for the study. Two were selected randomly for implementing intervention and the two others were the control area. The intervention was implemented in all villages of two selected PHC areas but the formative research and evaluation surveys were carried out in sampled villages of all four PHC areas. 

    Prof Jatin Sarmah, Head, Department of Biotechnology, Bodoland University, said 42 people were detected with SCD in Udalguri. He said such patients die before attaining the age of adulthood but four-five patients outlived their expected life expectancy.

    “We noticed that even aged SCD patients are still surviving. Ideally, we would like to find out why their foetal haemoglobin survives naturally for long,” Prof Sarmah, who was the principal investigator of the ICMR-sponsored project in the Northeast, said.

    Normally, foetal haemoglobin keeps giving support to SCD patients for 18 to 20 years, he said. “In the cases of these four-five people, we don’t know for what factors they are still getting that support.”

    The biotechnologist also said that no institution in India ever conducted this study but some medical colleges in the US had done so.

    “Saudi Arabia is also conducting a study but our people are different. Indians have different origins and ethnicities,” Prof Sarmah pointed out while stating that the expression of some genetic factors could be behind the Udalguri story. 

    The most common acute events of SCD are pain crisis, acute chest syndrome and lung injury syndrome. With increasing age, chronic end-organ complications begin to appear and they include chronic renal failure, haemorrhagic and non-haemorrhagic stroke, necrosis of bone and pulmonary hypertension.

    The disease is prevalent among tribal populations. Remoteness, language barrier, financial hardships, poor awareness, and lack of trust in the public health care system are the main challenges in its management. 

    The Bodoland University research team’s co-principal investigator was Dr Silistina Narzari.

    Dr Bontha V Babu, Scientist-G and Head, Division of Socio-behavioural and Health System Research, ICMR, was the national coordinator of the multi-centric project.

    The ICMR initiated the country-wide study to develop a model of screening and management of SCD in the primary health care system. The intervention includes increasing awareness and preparing the communities for accessing the government health care system for SCD care and improving the capacity of the primary health care systems.

    GUWAHATI: Tribals in the Northeast with sickle cell disease (SCD) live longer than fellow tribals suffering from the same disease elsewhere in India, a study conducted by Assam’s Bodoland University found.

    SCD (also called sickle cell anaemia) is one of the most prevalent blood genetic disorders which is caused by sickle-shaped haemoglobin and is common among tribals.

    About 2.3 per cent of the world’s population carries this defective haemoglobin. Around 44,000 children are born every year in India with SCD. 

    The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) had entrusted different institutions to conduct a multi-centric study on the disease from 2019 to 2022 in six districts – Udalguri in Assam (Northeast), Kandhamal in Odisha (Eastern India), Mysuru in Karnataka (Southern India), Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh (Southern India), Annupur in Madhya Pradesh (Central India) and Chotaudeypur in Gujarat. 

    In each district, four primary health centre (PHC) areas, predominantly inhabited by tribals, were identified for the study. Two were selected randomly for implementing intervention and the two others were the control area. The intervention was implemented in all villages of two selected PHC areas but the formative research and evaluation surveys were carried out in sampled villages of all four PHC areas. 

    Prof Jatin Sarmah, Head, Department of Biotechnology, Bodoland University, said 42 people were detected with SCD in Udalguri. He said such patients die before attaining the age of adulthood but four-five patients outlived their expected life expectancy.

    “We noticed that even aged SCD patients are still surviving. Ideally, we would like to find out why their foetal haemoglobin survives naturally for long,” Prof Sarmah, who was the principal investigator of the ICMR-sponsored project in the Northeast, said.

    Normally, foetal haemoglobin keeps giving support to SCD patients for 18 to 20 years, he said. “In the cases of these four-five people, we don’t know for what factors they are still getting that support.”

    The biotechnologist also said that no institution in India ever conducted this study but some medical colleges in the US had done so.

    “Saudi Arabia is also conducting a study but our people are different. Indians have different origins and ethnicities,” Prof Sarmah pointed out while stating that the expression of some genetic factors could be behind the Udalguri story. 

    The most common acute events of SCD are pain crisis, acute chest syndrome and lung injury syndrome. With increasing age, chronic end-organ complications begin to appear and they include chronic renal failure, haemorrhagic and non-haemorrhagic stroke, necrosis of bone and pulmonary hypertension.

    The disease is prevalent among tribal populations. Remoteness, language barrier, financial hardships, poor awareness, and lack of trust in the public health care system are the main challenges in its management. 

    The Bodoland University research team’s co-principal investigator was Dr Silistina Narzari.

    Dr Bontha V Babu, Scientist-G and Head, Division of Socio-behavioural and Health System Research, ICMR, was the national coordinator of the multi-centric project.

    The ICMR initiated the country-wide study to develop a model of screening and management of SCD in the primary health care system. The intervention includes increasing awareness and preparing the communities for accessing the government health care system for SCD care and improving the capacity of the primary health care systems.

  • Lok Sabha passes bill to give tribal status to Hattee community in Himachal

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Lok Sabha on Friday passed a bill to give scheduled tribe status to the members of the Hattee community in Himachal Pradesh.

    Piloting that Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Third Amendment) Bill 2022, Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda said that the bill seeks to provide justice to the Hattee community of Trans Giri area of Sirmour district in the hilly state of Himachal Pradesh.

    The minister said that the Hattee community members living in Uttarakhand were included in the list of scheduled tribes, but the benefit was not accorded to those living in Himachal Pradesh.

    “The State Government of Himachal Pradesh has requested (to the central government) to include Hattee community of Trans Giri area of Sirmour district in Scheduled Tribes list, excluding those communities which are already notified as Scheduled Castes for the State of Himachal Pradesh,” said the statement of objects and reasons of the Bill.

    The Bill follows the recommendations of the Himachal Pradesh government that Hattee community be included in the list of Scheduled Tribes in respect of the state.

    Once the Bill is approved by Parliament and the rules are framed, the members of the Hattee community will be entitled to all benefits which are provided to the members of the scheduled tribes, especially reservation in educational institutions and government jobs.

    NEW DELHI: The Lok Sabha on Friday passed a bill to give scheduled tribe status to the members of the Hattee community in Himachal Pradesh.

    Piloting that Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Third Amendment) Bill 2022, Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda said that the bill seeks to provide justice to the Hattee community of Trans Giri area of Sirmour district in the hilly state of Himachal Pradesh.

    The minister said that the Hattee community members living in Uttarakhand were included in the list of scheduled tribes, but the benefit was not accorded to those living in Himachal Pradesh.

    “The State Government of Himachal Pradesh has requested (to the central government) to include Hattee community of Trans Giri area of Sirmour district in Scheduled Tribes list, excluding those communities which are already notified as Scheduled Castes for the State of Himachal Pradesh,” said the statement of objects and reasons of the Bill.

    The Bill follows the recommendations of the Himachal Pradesh government that Hattee community be included in the list of Scheduled Tribes in respect of the state.

    Once the Bill is approved by Parliament and the rules are framed, the members of the Hattee community will be entitled to all benefits which are provided to the members of the scheduled tribes, especially reservation in educational institutions and government jobs.

  • NCST to probe death of teenage tribal girl at govt school hostel in MP

    By PTI

    INDORE: The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) has decided to investigate the death of a 14-year-old female tribal student under suspicious circumstances at a government residential school in Ratlam district of Madhya Pradesh, an official said on Thursday.

    According to police, the girl allegedly jumped to death from the four-storey hostel building in Ratlam district on December 7.

    “The NCST took cognisance of the death of the Class 9 student in a suspicious manner based on media reports and decided to probe the matter,” the official said.

    The commission sent notices to the Madhya Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP), Ratlam district’s Superintendent of Police (SP) and collector, directing them to submit action-taken report in the matter within seven days, the official added.

    Earlier, the father of the girl had contested the suicide theory and asked that if his daughter had jumped to death from the building, then why no serious injury marks were found on her body.

    INDORE: The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) has decided to investigate the death of a 14-year-old female tribal student under suspicious circumstances at a government residential school in Ratlam district of Madhya Pradesh, an official said on Thursday.

    According to police, the girl allegedly jumped to death from the four-storey hostel building in Ratlam district on December 7.

    “The NCST took cognisance of the death of the Class 9 student in a suspicious manner based on media reports and decided to probe the matter,” the official said.

    The commission sent notices to the Madhya Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP), Ratlam district’s Superintendent of Police (SP) and collector, directing them to submit action-taken report in the matter within seven days, the official added.

    Earlier, the father of the girl had contested the suicide theory and asked that if his daughter had jumped to death from the building, then why no serious injury marks were found on her body.

  • Rajya Sabha okays bill to include Gond community in ST category in parts of UP 

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday passed a bill that seeks to include the Gond community in the Scheduled Tribes category in parts of Uttar Pradesh.

    The Rajya Sabha passed by a voice vote the Constitution (Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) Orders (Second Amendment) Bill, 2022, with some amendments.

    The bill was introduced by Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda on Tuesday.

    Replying to the discussion on the bill, Munda said the issue has been pending since 1980s and blamed the then Congress-led government for ignoring the plight of the community and denying them their constitutional rights through Schedule Tribes category.

    Munda also moved amendments in the bill, which will again go to the Lok Sabha for its nod.

    The bill was earlier passed by the Lok Sabha in April this year.

    The bill seeks to amend the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) (Uttar Pradesh) Order, 1967 (ST Order) and the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950 (SC Order) with respect to its application to Uttar Pradesh.

    It seeks to amend the Scheduled Castes order to exclude the Gond community as a Scheduled Caste in four districts of Uttar Pradesh: Chandauli, Kushinagar, Sant Kabir Nagar, and Sant Ravidas Nagar.

    It seeks to amend the ST order to recognise the Gond community as a Scheduled Tribe in these four districts.

    The minister said the Uttar Pradesh government had written a letter related to the Gond community on April 22, 1981 stating that on the basis of their lifestyle, culture and from every aspects, they exhibited characters of scheduled tribe.

    He added that in those days, the Gond community was included under STs in other states.

    The minister rued that the issue has remained unresolved till now with the people of the community unable to raise their voice at the Centre.

    He also lamented that the then government did not implement the recommendations of the Lokur Committee for the uplift of tribals, keeping in mind their culture, lifestyle, closeness to nature and backwardness, and give them their constitutional rights.

    As a result, he said the country is facing the issue of tribals being left behind in the growth and development witnessed by India.

    The government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been working for the betterment of tribals in the last eight years and would continue to do so, Munda said.

    Taking a dig at the Opposition over their attitude towards tribals, Munda said if they had cared, the first woman President from tribal community Droupadi Murmu would have been elected to the top constitutional post unanimously and now some of them have even started criticising her as well.

    NEW DELHI: The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday passed a bill that seeks to include the Gond community in the Scheduled Tribes category in parts of Uttar Pradesh.

    The Rajya Sabha passed by a voice vote the Constitution (Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) Orders (Second Amendment) Bill, 2022, with some amendments.

    The bill was introduced by Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda on Tuesday.

    Replying to the discussion on the bill, Munda said the issue has been pending since 1980s and blamed the then Congress-led government for ignoring the plight of the community and denying them their constitutional rights through Schedule Tribes category.

    Munda also moved amendments in the bill, which will again go to the Lok Sabha for its nod.

    The bill was earlier passed by the Lok Sabha in April this year.

    The bill seeks to amend the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) (Uttar Pradesh) Order, 1967 (ST Order) and the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950 (SC Order) with respect to its application to Uttar Pradesh.

    It seeks to amend the Scheduled Castes order to exclude the Gond community as a Scheduled Caste in four districts of Uttar Pradesh: Chandauli, Kushinagar, Sant Kabir Nagar, and Sant Ravidas Nagar.

    It seeks to amend the ST order to recognise the Gond community as a Scheduled Tribe in these four districts.

    The minister said the Uttar Pradesh government had written a letter related to the Gond community on April 22, 1981 stating that on the basis of their lifestyle, culture and from every aspects, they exhibited characters of scheduled tribe.

    He added that in those days, the Gond community was included under STs in other states.

    The minister rued that the issue has remained unresolved till now with the people of the community unable to raise their voice at the Centre.

    He also lamented that the then government did not implement the recommendations of the Lokur Committee for the uplift of tribals, keeping in mind their culture, lifestyle, closeness to nature and backwardness, and give them their constitutional rights.

    As a result, he said the country is facing the issue of tribals being left behind in the growth and development witnessed by India.

    The government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been working for the betterment of tribals in the last eight years and would continue to do so, Munda said.

    Taking a dig at the Opposition over their attitude towards tribals, Munda said if they had cared, the first woman President from tribal community Droupadi Murmu would have been elected to the top constitutional post unanimously and now some of them have even started criticising her as well.

  • Why did Congress never think of making an Adivasi our President, asks PM Modi

    By PTI

    DAHOD (Gujarat): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday asked why the Congress did not support Droupadi Murmu in the presidential election if the opposition party was so concerned about tribals.

    He was speaking at an election rally in the tribal-dominated Dahod town of central Gujarat for BJP candidates in the region.

    Constituencies in central Gujarat will go to the polls on December 5, in the second phase of the Assembly elections.

    Speaking at a rally in tribal-dominated Mahuva village in Surat district on Monday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party of snatching away the rights of tribals.

    Modi referred to Gandhi and his ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra in the speech.

    ALSO READ | Congress gave you MGNREGA, scholarships; BJP took away your land: Rahul to tribals in Gujarat

    “A person is conducting a foot-march to get back power. In his speech, he talks about tribals. I want to ask him, why Congress did not support the BJP’s woman tribal candidate in the presidential election? Instead, they fielded their own candidate to defeat her,” the prime minister said.

    “Despite Congress’ efforts’ Droupadi Murmu became President “with the blessings of tribal people,” he added.

    “Why did Congress never think of making an Adivasi (tribal) our President? It was the BJP which made a tribal person, that too a woman, our country’s President for the first time and sent a message to the world,” Modi said.

    He also accused the Congress of not paying attention to the development of the British-era Parel area of Dahod.

    “But, as PM, I remembered it, and now investment worth Rs 20,000 crore has come here for building railway locomotives. These locomotives will be exported to other countries too. This huge investment will ultimately benefit the locals,” he said.

    Dahod district received a host of facilities and benefits under the BJP government including engineering and nursing colleges, a medical college, tap water connections and development of amenities under the Smart City Project, Modi said.

    DAHOD (Gujarat): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday asked why the Congress did not support Droupadi Murmu in the presidential election if the opposition party was so concerned about tribals.

    He was speaking at an election rally in the tribal-dominated Dahod town of central Gujarat for BJP candidates in the region.

    Constituencies in central Gujarat will go to the polls on December 5, in the second phase of the Assembly elections.

    Speaking at a rally in tribal-dominated Mahuva village in Surat district on Monday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party of snatching away the rights of tribals.

    Modi referred to Gandhi and his ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra in the speech.

    ALSO READ | Congress gave you MGNREGA, scholarships; BJP took away your land: Rahul to tribals in Gujarat

    “A person is conducting a foot-march to get back power. In his speech, he talks about tribals. I want to ask him, why Congress did not support the BJP’s woman tribal candidate in the presidential election? Instead, they fielded their own candidate to defeat her,” the prime minister said.

    “Despite Congress’ efforts’ Droupadi Murmu became President “with the blessings of tribal people,” he added.

    “Why did Congress never think of making an Adivasi (tribal) our President? It was the BJP which made a tribal person, that too a woman, our country’s President for the first time and sent a message to the world,” Modi said.

    He also accused the Congress of not paying attention to the development of the British-era Parel area of Dahod.

    “But, as PM, I remembered it, and now investment worth Rs 20,000 crore has come here for building railway locomotives. These locomotives will be exported to other countries too. This huge investment will ultimately benefit the locals,” he said.

    Dahod district received a host of facilities and benefits under the BJP government including engineering and nursing colleges, a medical college, tap water connections and development of amenities under the Smart City Project, Modi said.

  • Congress gave you MGNREGA, scholarships; BJP took away your land: Rahul to tribals in Gujarat

    By PTI

    MAHUVA (Gujarat): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday said he felt the pain of farmers, youth and tribals after meeting them during his Bharat Jodo Yatra and accused the BJP of drawing up plans to displace adivasis by handing over forests to industrialists as he hit the campaign trail in Gujarat 10 days ahead of the first phase of Assembly polls.

    Addressing his first rally in Gujarat after the announcement of the Assembly poll schedule, Gandhi asserted tribals are the first owners of the country, but the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was working to take away their jungles and keep their children away from modern education.

    The Congress MP took a break from his Bharat Jodo Yatra, currently passing through Maharashtra, and travelled to Gujarat, where he addressed a gathering of tribals at Mahuva in Surat district in support of his party, which is seeking to end its nearly three-decade stint in the opposition in the BJP-ruled state in the next month’s Assembly polls.

    Gandhi said his 3,570-km yatra, which started from Tamil Nadu on September 7, was for the unity of the country and during the cross-country foot-march he felt the pain of farmers, youth and people from the tribal community after listening to their problems.

    Sharing his experience of the yatra so far, the Congress leader said he felt sad while talking to farmers, youth, and tribals.

    Farmers shared their experience of not getting proper rate of their produce, crop insurance money or their loans not getting waived, while youth talked about remaining unemployed and failing to realize their dreams.

    “They (BJP) call you ‘vanvasi’ (forest dwellers). They do not say you are the first owners of India, but that you live in the jungles. Do you see the difference? It means they do not want you to live in cities, see your children becoming engineers, doctors, learn to fly planes, speak English,” he said at the rally at tribal-dominated Mahuva.

    ALSO READ | Modi govt weakening laws framed by UPA to empower tribals: Rahul Gandhi

    Further attacking the ruling party, the Lok Sabha member from Kerala alleged it wants to keep tribals away from modern health and education facilities.

    “They want you to live in the jungles, but do not stop there. After that, they start taking away the jungles from you. If it continues like this, then in another 5 to 10 years, all the jungles will be in the hands of 2 to 3 industrialists, and you will have no place to live, get no education, health and job,” Gandhi said.

    Recalling a children’s book about a tribal kid that his grandmother, former prime minister Indira Gandhi, gave him when he was a child, the Congress leader said she introduced the book as the one about tribals, the real owners of India.

    Gandhi said she told him if you want to understand India, you must understand tribals, their lives, their relations with water, jungle and land (jal, jungle, jameen).

    “She used the word, “adivasi,” for tribals, meaning those who have stayed here for the first time. I am telling you that you are the first owners of the country. The country has been taken away from you,” he said.

    The word “Adivasi” means the country belongs to tribals and they should get their rights in this country — like employment and health to them and their children, Gandhi said.

    “‘Vanvasi,’ on the other hand, means all that belong to you should be given to 2 to 3 industrialists, and you get no education, heath and any other rights,” the former Congress president said.

    Further targeting the BJP, he said laws introduced by the Congress when in power in the past at the Centre for the benefit of the tribal community were never implemented in states ruled by the saffron outfit.

    In fact, they worked to weaken important legislations like the PESA Act (Panchayat Extension to Scheduled Areas Act, the Land Acquisition Act and Forest Rights Act, among others, he claimed.

    “These were revolutionary laws to return water, land and jungle to you. We gave you MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act ), jobs, scholarships, rights on land. They (BJP) did not do so. In fact they only took away your land from you,” the Congress MP said.

    ALSO READ | Gujarat Assembly polls: ‘Son’ rise in 20 seats as BJP, Cong field dynasts

    He said at a time when people talk about the environment and big conferences are held where delegates from all over the world meet to discuss green issues, tribals know about the subject more than any of these leaders.

    “You can teach them about water, land and jungles, and the work of a leader or a government is to listen to you,” he said, wooing tribals, a key bloc of voters for the opposition party.

    Gandhi said lakhs of people, including farmers, unemployed youths, women, tribals, Dalits, backward community members and minorities walked with him during the Bharat Jodo Yatra.

    “If someone is left behind, everyone comes forward to help him. It is a yatra of love and everyone is included. Nobody asks what is your caste, religion, which language you speak, your age, whether you are old, young, woman or man — nobody asks these questions,” he said.

    READ | Some people are doing foot march to get back to power: PM Modi’s dig at Rahul Gandhi

    He said the yatra was inspired by Mahatma Gandhi, who was born in Gujarat.

    Gandhi said he felt emotions of happiness as well as sadness during the unity march.

    “Sadness is experienced while talking to farmers, youths, tribals. Farmers do not get proper rate (of agri products), insurance money, their loan is not waived. Youths are unemployed, their dream is breaking. Someone wants to become an engineer, his parents spend money on his education, but he is working as a labourer (after getting degree),” he said.

    LIVE: Public Meeting | Surat | Gujarat#CongressAaveChe https://t.co/ysE6hyPCq6— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) November 21, 2022 The Congress MP maintained how a youth named Ram joined the yatra on Sunday evening and hugged him and started crying.

    “He said he lost his entire family due to the coronavirus and he was left alone. He said he was unemployed and didn’t see a way out,” Gandhi said.

    “He is not alone, there are lakhs of such youths in the country. When you talk to tribals, they say their land is being snatched away. They are being displaced without being told anything and some industrialists are given our land without any compensation,” the Congress leader said.

    Voting to elect a new 182-member Gujarat Assembly will be held in two phases — December 1 and 5 — and ballots will be counted on December 8.

    MAHUVA (Gujarat): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday said he felt the pain of farmers, youth and tribals after meeting them during his Bharat Jodo Yatra and accused the BJP of drawing up plans to displace adivasis by handing over forests to industrialists as he hit the campaign trail in Gujarat 10 days ahead of the first phase of Assembly polls.

    Addressing his first rally in Gujarat after the announcement of the Assembly poll schedule, Gandhi asserted tribals are the first owners of the country, but the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was working to take away their jungles and keep their children away from modern education.

    The Congress MP took a break from his Bharat Jodo Yatra, currently passing through Maharashtra, and travelled to Gujarat, where he addressed a gathering of tribals at Mahuva in Surat district in support of his party, which is seeking to end its nearly three-decade stint in the opposition in the BJP-ruled state in the next month’s Assembly polls.

    Gandhi said his 3,570-km yatra, which started from Tamil Nadu on September 7, was for the unity of the country and during the cross-country foot-march he felt the pain of farmers, youth and people from the tribal community after listening to their problems.

    Sharing his experience of the yatra so far, the Congress leader said he felt sad while talking to farmers, youth, and tribals.

    Farmers shared their experience of not getting proper rate of their produce, crop insurance money or their loans not getting waived, while youth talked about remaining unemployed and failing to realize their dreams.

    “They (BJP) call you ‘vanvasi’ (forest dwellers). They do not say you are the first owners of India, but that you live in the jungles. Do you see the difference? It means they do not want you to live in cities, see your children becoming engineers, doctors, learn to fly planes, speak English,” he said at the rally at tribal-dominated Mahuva.

    ALSO READ | Modi govt weakening laws framed by UPA to empower tribals: Rahul Gandhi

    Further attacking the ruling party, the Lok Sabha member from Kerala alleged it wants to keep tribals away from modern health and education facilities.

    “They want you to live in the jungles, but do not stop there. After that, they start taking away the jungles from you. If it continues like this, then in another 5 to 10 years, all the jungles will be in the hands of 2 to 3 industrialists, and you will have no place to live, get no education, health and job,” Gandhi said.

    Recalling a children’s book about a tribal kid that his grandmother, former prime minister Indira Gandhi, gave him when he was a child, the Congress leader said she introduced the book as the one about tribals, the real owners of India.

    Gandhi said she told him if you want to understand India, you must understand tribals, their lives, their relations with water, jungle and land (jal, jungle, jameen).

    “She used the word, “adivasi,” for tribals, meaning those who have stayed here for the first time. I am telling you that you are the first owners of the country. The country has been taken away from you,” he said.

    The word “Adivasi” means the country belongs to tribals and they should get their rights in this country — like employment and health to them and their children, Gandhi said.

    “‘Vanvasi,’ on the other hand, means all that belong to you should be given to 2 to 3 industrialists, and you get no education, heath and any other rights,” the former Congress president said.

    Further targeting the BJP, he said laws introduced by the Congress when in power in the past at the Centre for the benefit of the tribal community were never implemented in states ruled by the saffron outfit.

    In fact, they worked to weaken important legislations like the PESA Act (Panchayat Extension to Scheduled Areas Act, the Land Acquisition Act and Forest Rights Act, among others, he claimed.

    “These were revolutionary laws to return water, land and jungle to you. We gave you MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act ), jobs, scholarships, rights on land. They (BJP) did not do so. In fact they only took away your land from you,” the Congress MP said.

    ALSO READ | Gujarat Assembly polls: ‘Son’ rise in 20 seats as BJP, Cong field dynasts

    He said at a time when people talk about the environment and big conferences are held where delegates from all over the world meet to discuss green issues, tribals know about the subject more than any of these leaders.

    “You can teach them about water, land and jungles, and the work of a leader or a government is to listen to you,” he said, wooing tribals, a key bloc of voters for the opposition party.

    Gandhi said lakhs of people, including farmers, unemployed youths, women, tribals, Dalits, backward community members and minorities walked with him during the Bharat Jodo Yatra.

    “If someone is left behind, everyone comes forward to help him. It is a yatra of love and everyone is included. Nobody asks what is your caste, religion, which language you speak, your age, whether you are old, young, woman or man — nobody asks these questions,” he said.

    READ | Some people are doing foot march to get back to power: PM Modi’s dig at Rahul Gandhi

    He said the yatra was inspired by Mahatma Gandhi, who was born in Gujarat.

    Gandhi said he felt emotions of happiness as well as sadness during the unity march.

    “Sadness is experienced while talking to farmers, youths, tribals. Farmers do not get proper rate (of agri products), insurance money, their loan is not waived. Youths are unemployed, their dream is breaking. Someone wants to become an engineer, his parents spend money on his education, but he is working as a labourer (after getting degree),” he said.

    LIVE: Public Meeting | Surat | Gujarat#CongressAaveChe https://t.co/ysE6hyPCq6— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) November 21, 2022 The Congress MP maintained how a youth named Ram joined the yatra on Sunday evening and hugged him and started crying.

    “He said he lost his entire family due to the coronavirus and he was left alone. He said he was unemployed and didn’t see a way out,” Gandhi said.

    “He is not alone, there are lakhs of such youths in the country. When you talk to tribals, they say their land is being snatched away. They are being displaced without being told anything and some industrialists are given our land without any compensation,” the Congress leader said.

    Voting to elect a new 182-member Gujarat Assembly will be held in two phases — December 1 and 5 — and ballots will be counted on December 8.

  • Tribals in West Bengal’s Khairasole face acute water crisis

    By ANI

    JHARGRAM (West Bengal): The tribals of a small village in an interior area of Jhargram district in West Bengal face an acute water crisis, but they said that there seems to be no solution in the near future.

    Tribals at Khairasole village have to walk more than 3 km to fetch water as their village does not have a single tubewell or pond.

    “Be it for drinking, or for other requirements, we are facing a problem in securing water. Even to quench our thirst, we have to think twice,” said tribal Babulal Mandi, while speaking exclusively to ANI.

    Another tribal villager alleged that during elections promises are made to them about a solution. “During the elections, several political parties pay us a visit and promise to sort out the water problem, but once elections are over, nobody bothers to care about their promises”, the villager alleged.

    The Jhargram district of West Bengal is surrounded by forests on all sides. Sourabhi Murmur, a tribal woman resident of the Khairasole village told ANI that the water crisis in the village is evident and this need to be sorted out. She said the problem is so grave that the villagers are unable to get enough water for cattle, upon which their livelihood depends.

    “We face the water problem on an everyday basis. We either have to buy water or travel for 3 kilometres to get water. And, it is not possible for my family to buy water every day,” said Sourabhi Murmur.

    Satya Mahato, a resident of the nearby Narayanpur village, said, “It is tough to go about our daily lives if water is not available, that too for the whole village”.

    Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee had assured the tribal villagers that the water problem will be sorted out by 2024 and the tribals are waiting. 

    JHARGRAM (West Bengal): The tribals of a small village in an interior area of Jhargram district in West Bengal face an acute water crisis, but they said that there seems to be no solution in the near future.

    Tribals at Khairasole village have to walk more than 3 km to fetch water as their village does not have a single tubewell or pond.

    “Be it for drinking, or for other requirements, we are facing a problem in securing water. Even to quench our thirst, we have to think twice,” said tribal Babulal Mandi, while speaking exclusively to ANI.

    Another tribal villager alleged that during elections promises are made to them about a solution. “During the elections, several political parties pay us a visit and promise to sort out the water problem, but once elections are over, nobody bothers to care about their promises”, the villager alleged.

    The Jhargram district of West Bengal is surrounded by forests on all sides. Sourabhi Murmur, a tribal woman resident of the Khairasole village told ANI that the water crisis in the village is evident and this need to be sorted out. She said the problem is so grave that the villagers are unable to get enough water for cattle, upon which their livelihood depends.

    “We face the water problem on an everyday basis. We either have to buy water or travel for 3 kilometres to get water. And, it is not possible for my family to buy water every day,” said Sourabhi Murmur.

    Satya Mahato, a resident of the nearby Narayanpur village, said, “It is tough to go about our daily lives if water is not available, that too for the whole village”.

    Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee had assured the tribal villagers that the water problem will be sorted out by 2024 and the tribals are waiting. 

  • Demanding recognition of Sarna religion, tribals threaten stir in 5 states from Nov 30

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: Thousands of tribals from Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand, Assam and different parts of West Bengal congregated in Kolkata on Friday, demanding recognition of the Sarna religion by the Centre.

    The tribals, who demonstrated under the banner of Adivasi Sengel Abhiyan (ASA), threatened to intensify their stir from November 30 if the Centre does not hold talks with them or fails to give reasons for denying the recognition.

    “Tribals who worship the nature are neither Hindus, nor Muslims nor Christians. Their population is more than Jains and Buddhists, but their choice of religion is not recognised,” ASA president Salkhan Murmu, a former BJP MP from Odisha, told PTI.

    “If the Centre fails to meet our demand by November 20, there will be ‘chakka jam’ in five states on November 30,” he said.

    The protest will affect 50 districts and 250 blocks in these five states, he claimed. Murmu said they would not go for the protest if the rights of the tribals under Article 25 of Constitution are ensured.

    Leaders of several tribal organisations from the Jungle Mahal region of West Bengal also took part in the demonstration at Rani Rashmoni Avenue in the heart of Kolkata. Their rally affected the traffic in the city, which is already in the festive mood ahead of Durga Puja.

    The demonstrators entered the city from Howrah, across the Hooghly river, creating congestion in large parts of central Kolkata amid the rush on the last working day before the Durga Puja holidays, police said.

    KOLKATA: Thousands of tribals from Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand, Assam and different parts of West Bengal congregated in Kolkata on Friday, demanding recognition of the Sarna religion by the Centre.

    The tribals, who demonstrated under the banner of Adivasi Sengel Abhiyan (ASA), threatened to intensify their stir from November 30 if the Centre does not hold talks with them or fails to give reasons for denying the recognition.

    “Tribals who worship the nature are neither Hindus, nor Muslims nor Christians. Their population is more than Jains and Buddhists, but their choice of religion is not recognised,” ASA president Salkhan Murmu, a former BJP MP from Odisha, told PTI.

    “If the Centre fails to meet our demand by November 20, there will be ‘chakka jam’ in five states on November 30,” he said.

    The protest will affect 50 districts and 250 blocks in these five states, he claimed. Murmu said they would not go for the protest if the rights of the tribals under Article 25 of Constitution are ensured.

    Leaders of several tribal organisations from the Jungle Mahal region of West Bengal also took part in the demonstration at Rani Rashmoni Avenue in the heart of Kolkata. Their rally affected the traffic in the city, which is already in the festive mood ahead of Durga Puja.

    The demonstrators entered the city from Howrah, across the Hooghly river, creating congestion in large parts of central Kolkata amid the rush on the last working day before the Durga Puja holidays, police said.