BJP forms 12-member election manifesto committee for Delhi assembly polls
The BJP has formed a 12-member election manifesto committee for Delhi ahead of the assembly polls in the national capital which are due in February next year.
On the International Day of World’s Indigenous Peoples, Rahul Gandhi paid his homage to the unsung tribal heroes and martyrs of the freedom struggle and criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for naming ‘Adivasi’ as ‘Vanvasi’ and snatching their rights of ‘Jal, Jangal, Jameen’ and giving it to industrialist Adani.
“The BJP has coined a word Vanvasi for those who live in forests, but the Congress has always regarded you as Adivasi, and know that the whole country is yours. But the BJP does not consider you the first citizens of Hindustan, but named you as Vanvasi…means jungle-vasi. This is the insult of Bharat Mata,” Gandhi told a mammoth rally at Mangarh Dham in Rajasthan’s Banswara district this afternoon after paying floral tributes to martyrs at the memorial.
Gandhi continued his attack on the saffron party saying the BJP and the RSS want that you (Adivasi) live in forest only; you should not come out of it, and your children do not get urban jobs like doctors, engineers, and do not travel in planes.
Recalling the quotes of his grandmother late Indira Gandhi, former Prime Minister, RaGa said, “You should be the owner of the country, the land should be yours, the forest and water should be yours… because the tribals were the first inhabitants of this land. Years ago, tribals were all over India. You were pushed away. You people were martyred fighting with the British and had taken their bullets.”
“The Congress that has given legislations related to tribals were rejected by the RSS-BJP because they want you guys to live in forests as Vanvasi,” he said.
Hailing the Gehlot government’s ten schemes including health insurance, old pension schemes and raising the SC/ST Development Fund from Rs.500 cr to Rs1000 crore annually, Gandhi called upon the huge gathering of people whenever they want they can approach or call him for any help that he would do by heart or for the completion of any pending works in Banswara district.
Gandhi also launched the state government’s much awaited scheme of free smartphones to women and gave away to a few women and a girl on the occasion. The state government would formally start distributing the free smart phones to 40 lakh women with an internet package tomorrow in Jaipur.
Reiterating that he is on the mission of ‘Nafrat Ke Bazaar Mein Mohabbat Ki Dukan’, Gandhi said: “Wherever they (BJP) go, they make someone fight, spread hatred, spread violence, use bad words about other people.”
Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, while addressing the gathering, said that the Government of India had promised the development of this memorial as a National Monument but did not do so despite the Prime Minister coming here on November 1, 2022.
“That’s why now the state government will develop this Dham, which will be started at a cost of Rs 100 crore,” he said. Gehlot announced that now 1 lakh SC, ST and OBC children will stay in the state government hostels. Till now 50 thousand children used to live in hostels, Gehlot announced.
Congress leader Sachin Pilot said the Indian government was failing on every front. “We have defeated the double- engine government of BJP in Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh. Now the time has come to defeat the main engine of BJP in Delhi itself in 2024 Lok Sabha polls,” Pilot added.
It is pertinent to mention that Mangarh Hill holds special importance for the Bhil community and other tribes of Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh. During the freedom struggle where Bhils and other tribes engaged in a long stand-off with the British and more than 1.5 lakh Bhils rallied at Mangarh Hill on 17th November 1913 under the leadership of Govind Guru. Britishers opened fire at this gathering, leading to Mangarh massacre where approximately 1500 tribals were martyred.
Advertisement
