Brinda Karat accuses Centre of conspiring to withdraw tribal quota

Modi government is conspiring to withdraw tribal reservations in the country, says Adivasi Adhikar Manch national leader Brinda Karat

Nalgonda: Adivasi Adhikar Manch national leader and former MP Brinda Karat said on Wednesday that the Narendra Modi government was conspiring to withdraw reservations to the tribal community in the country.

Speaking at a public meeting of the Telangana Girijana Sangam at Miryalaguda, she said the BJP was trying to cancel the rights guaranteed by the Constitution of India for tribals in the country. It was also contemplating to cancel the tribal sub-plan at the cost of interests of lakhs of tribal people.

Expressing strong displeasure over meagre allocation of funds for the welfare of tribals in the union budget, she said 2.7 percent of budget was allocated for the welfare of the tribals, who constituted 8.6 percent of the population of the country. The Centre should make budgetary allocation for tribal welfare in proposition to their population. She strongly criticized the Centre for being insensitive to the issues being faced by tribals.

The pro-corporate policies of the Modi government had increased the gap between the poor and the rich, she said, adding that the BJP government was also trying to dilute the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act and chase out tribals from the forests.

Stating that the fall of the BJP government would begin from Miryalaguda, she asked the tribals to support former MLA Julakanti Ranga Reddy in the next Assembly elections. Her comments came in the light of rumors that the CPI(M) would demand for the Miryalaguda assembly constituency in seat sharing if there would be any alliance with the BRS.

A huge rally was taken out by the tribal community in the town before the public meeting, which was attended by Telangana Girijana Sangam State president Dharma Naik and others.