BJP demands a comprehensive National Tribal Development Policy
with livelihood security and land-ownership rights

I am in Adilabad, which is located in that part of Andhra Pradesh where tribal population is significant. Advasis or vanvasis, who form nearly 8 % of India’s population, are undoubtedly the poorest and the most neglected section of our society. Since the Congress party has ruled for the longest period after independence, it stands to reason that the Congress is most responsible for the plight of tribals. Not surprisingly, the tribal disenchantment with the Congress is growing in state after state. The BJP is proud that, thanks to our patient, sustained and dedicated work at the grassroots, we have been able to win the trust and support of tribals in many states. Today the BJP has more tribal MPs and MLAs (outside the North-East) than any other party.

Vajpayee government’s proud initiatives During its six-year rule at the Centre, the Vajpayee government’s initiatives for tribal welfare surpassed what many Congress regimes had done during the previous five decades. Recognising the problems of SCs and STs to be different, we created a separate ministry for tribal development for the first time since independence. We also created a separate national commission for tribal development. For the first time since independence, Shri Vajpayee elevated a tribal (Shri Jual Oram) to the cabinet rank in the central government. Fulfilling the long-time demand of many tribal communities in different states, the ST list was rationalized by including them in the ST category so that they would be eligible for the benefit of reservations. The budget for education, housing, healthcare, children’s nutrition, employment and entrepreneurship was significantly raised. The number of ST students getting scholarships for higher education increased several fold.

There can be no Bharat Suraksha without Tribal Suraksha Whatever the BJP has done, and is continuing to do, for the empowerment of tribals is due to our deeply held belief that tribals are an integral and inalienable part of the Hindu society and Indian Nation. In many ways, and against great odds, they have preserved and protected the age-old cultural, artistic spiritual traditions of India. During the Freedom Movement, they have made untold sacrifices and displayed inspiring heroism and patriotism. The BJP believes that liberating our tribal brethren from poverty, underdevelopment and exploitation, and securing a dignified and equal status for them in society, is our moral and political duty.

The problems faced by tribals are multifaceted, complex and deeply entrenched. Our tribal brethren cannot be comprehensively empowered without a strong political will, societal empathy and solidarity, a sound overarching policy framework, and its sincere implementation by the central and state governments. In this context, the BJP would like to place the following partial set of demands before the UPA government.

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Today is the last day of my Yatra in Andhra Pradesh. I have spent nearly four days in the state in two legs – first in Rayalaseema and then in Telangana. I am truly overwhelmed by the people’s enthusiastic response, both in villages and towns, to the message of the Bharat Suraksha Yatra. As I prepare to enter Vidarbha in Maharashtra later in the morning, I convey my heartfelt thanks to the people of Andhra Pradesh for their show of solidarity, which has been beyond my expectations.

I can sum up reasons for the scale and spirit of the public response in just three words: Hatya, Atmahatya and Vishwasghaat. They encapsulate the Congress party’s record in Andhra Pradesh. Its governments in New Delhi and Hyderabad have not only failed to contain hatya (killings) of innocent citizens by naxalites, but actually adopted a soft approach to the problem of left-wing extremism. Secondly, they have been shockingly insensitive to the problem of atmahatya (suicides) by farmers. Nearly 4,000 farmers in AP alone have ended their lives, unable to bear the growing distress caused by the crisis in agriculture.

Lastly, both the Congress-led government at the Centre and the Congress government in the state are guilty of vishwasghaat (betrayal) of their promise on Telengana. Indeed, this promise was the basis of the alliance between the Congress and the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) in the 2004 parliamentary and assembly elections. Now, although nearly two years have passed, Congress leaders at the Centre and in the state are behaving as if they never gave this promise. Worse, they started blaming the BJP for non-fulfillment of a promise that they had made!

In order to expose this dishonesty and duplicity on the part of the Congress party, I dared, in my speech at the public meeting in Hyderabad on April 18, the UPA government to bring forward a bill in the forthcoming session of Parliament for the creation of separate Telangana. I also announced that the BJP would fully support such a bill.

In case the Congress party continues its policy of betrayal on Telangana beyond the Budget session, the TRS would be morally obliged to quit the UPA. If it fails to do so, the TRS too will be guilty of betrayal of its own promise to the people of Telangana. After all, the very purpose of formation of the TRS is its promise of separate statehood. Should the TRS quit the UPA, the BJP will gladly join hands with it for the fulfillment of the statehood aspirations of the people of Telangana.

My last observation on this issue is that the BJP would like Telangana to be carved out as a separate state in a smooth and amicable manner. One of the major successes of the NDA government was the creation of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Uttaranchal as separate states in a convivial and peaceful atmosphere. This was in sharp contrast to the way new states were formed during the previous Congress governments at the Centre.

I have no doubt whatsoever that separate Telangana state is a dream waiting to be realized. For no amount of betrayal can work now, since the people are in a mood to punish the betrayers. It is my fervent wish that, after this dream is fulfilled, both Telangana and the rest of Andhra Pradesh will prosper and progress through mutual cooperation, and jointly work for the greater glory of Bharat Mata.