The Congress has accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of neglecting the Adivasi communities in Madhya Pradesh. Addressing the Prime Minister Narendra Modi directly, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh asked why the BJP had failed to improve rail connectivity in MP’s tribal districts. He also expressed concern about the BJP’s treatment of Adivasis, stating that they are “unwelcome in ‘Modi ka Parivar'”.
Ramesh questioned the delay of over 10 years in completing the Dahod-Indore and Chhota Udaipur-Dhar railway lines, which were sanctioned by the previous UPA government. He alleged that successive BJP governments in the state and at the center have neglected this project, thereby depriving the tribal-dominated districts of Dhar and Jabhua of the benefits of better rail connectivity.
Ramesh further alleged that the Modi government has not only neglected the Adivasi communities of MP but has actively terrorized them. He cited the recent incident of BJP workers brutally beating an Adivasi youth in Betul after PM Modi’s rally in Jhabua and another incident where a BJP leader was seen urinating on an Adivasi man in public.
The Congress leader pointed out that the BJP’s allocation for Adivasis in the central budget has consistently fallen short of the 8.2% target set by the NITI Aayog in 2017. He also mentioned the BJP’s unfulfilled poll promise to allocate Rs 3 lakh crore for tribal welfare in Madhya Pradesh.
Ramesh emphasized the Congress’s commitment to tribal welfare, highlighting the party’s guarantee to give legal status to the SC-ST sub-plan, which would require the center to meet the 8.2% budget target. He urged the Prime Minister to acknowledge the mistakes of his government and truly commit to Adivasi welfare.
In conclusion, the Congress has raised serious concerns about the BJP-led government’s treatment of Adivasi communities in Madhya Pradesh. The party has demanded that the Prime Minister address these issues and take concrete steps towards improving the lives of Adivasis in the state and across the country.
