Jagdalpur, Nov 4: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, questioning why he identifies as an Other Backward Class (OBC) member while asserting that poverty is the only caste in the country. Speaking at a public gathering in Jagdalpur, part of poll-bound Chhattisgarh, he accused the BJP of disrespecting tribals by referring to them as ‘vanvasi’ instead of ‘adivasi’ and pledged that his party would eliminate the term ‘vanvasi’ from the nation.
Gandhi stated, “BJP leaders use the term ‘vanvasi’ for ‘adivasi’ in their speeches. Narendra Modi and the RSS have coined this new term, ‘vanvasi.’ There is a significant difference between ‘vanvasi’ and ‘adivasi’ terms. In Madhya Pradesh, a BJP leader urinated on a tribal youth, filmed the act, and then made it viral… This is the mindset of the BJP. They believe your place is in the forest like animals, and they treat you as such.”
He continued, “Have you ever seen BJP leaders urinating on animals? But you have seen them urinating on an ‘adivasi.’ ‘Adivasi’ is a revolutionary term… ‘Adivasis’ signify the original owners of the country. The BJP does not use this term because if they do, they will have to return your land, water, and forests to you.”
Gandhi emphasized that the term ‘vanvasi’ is an insult to tribals, and the Congress will not accept it. He also pointed out that while Prime Minister Modi has refrained from using the word ‘vanvasi’ in his speeches, he cannot alter his underlying ideology, which, according to Gandhi, continues to denigrate tribals.
Referring to Prime Minister Modi’s statement that poverty is the only caste in the country, Gandhi questioned, “We all know there are Dalits, adivasis, and backward communities in the country. If there is only one caste in the country, why does he call himself an OBC?”
Gandhi further criticized the BJP-led central government, accusing them of facilitating the transfer of land to corporate entities like Adani. He alleged that when people oppose these land acquisitions, the BJP government resorts to violence. According to him, the money generated from these activities primarily benefits the corporations and BJP leaders, with little reaching the villages in Chhattisgarh or Bastar. In contrast, Gandhi asserted that the Congress directs funds to farmers, laborers, and tribals, offering tangible benefits to these groups.
The state assembly elections, consisting of 90 seats, will be conducted in two phases on November 7 and 17. Jagdalpur, a constituency in the tribal-dominated Bastar division, is one of the 20 seats going to the polls in the first phase, with the remaining 70 constituencies participating in the second phase.
