Mumbai, Mar 12 (UNI) Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said that tribals being the real owners of the country have first right to water, forest and land in this country and accused Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of depriving tribals of their rights as forest dwellers.
Addressing a public meeting at Nandurbar after his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra reached there, he alledged that BJP government was taking over the land of dalits and adivasis and giving it to industrialists like Gautam Adani.
The Land Acquisition Act brought by the UPA government has been weakened by the BJP government, he alleged and said that if his party comes to power, this Act will be strengthened again.
Adivasis are being deprived of their rights, but Congress party is the protector of tribals' rights, he asserted and assured that the rights of tribals to water, forest and land will be kept intact.
He said that though tribals make up eight per cent of the country's population, they do not share that much power.
After Congress comes to power, this picture will change and the rights will be given to those who have the same population, he emphasised.
Observing that 22 people in the country have as much wealth as 70 crore people in the country today, the Congress leader termed it as a disparity of income.
The loans of 22 industrialists were waived, but not even a single rupee was waived for tribals and poor, he alleged and said that the amount spent on MNREGA in 24 years is about Rs 1.6 lakh crore.
"A caste-wise census will be conducted, the MSP (minimum support price) Act will be implemented for
agriculture, tribals will be empowered to take all decisions in areas where they have 50 per cent population, it will be included in the sixth schedule," Gandhi assured.
Prominent party leaders were present at this meeting.
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