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Central schemes not reaching tribals : Rahul

Staff Correspondent

Rahul Gandhi

Katni (Madhya Pradesh): Avenues for tribal development will open up once the Congress comes to power in Madhya Pradesh, AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi said at a public rally near here on Sunday.

He was addressing his first public rally in the State at Khatauli village in Katni district, a predominantly tribal area. The posters at the venue and the banner forming the backdrop of the dais described the event as “Adivasi Adhikar Mahasabha” (Tribal Rights Rally).

Mr. Gandhi talked of Congress’ commitment to the tribal cause and reiterated his determination to carry forward the family legacy of working for the all-round progress of tribals and dalits. He said the Congress would form the next Government in Madhya Pradesh and return to power once again at the Centre. The Congress-led UPA government was giving all help to the State over the last four years, but the general complaint of the tribals he met in the State was that the benefit of various welfare schemes was not percolating to them, he said.

State Congress president Suresh Pachouri said confusion was being created by the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government in the State, which was taking credit for various welfare schemes funded by the Centre.

State Congress Campaign Committee chairman Ajay Singh, senior Congress leaders Satyavrat Chaturvedi, Jyotiraditya Scindia and Kantilal Bhuria, Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly Jamuna Devi, and State Women’s Congress president Shobha Oza were present at the rally. Mr. Gandhi left for Kesla village in Hoshangabad district after addressing the rally. After a night halt at Kesla, he will leave for the tribal areas of western Madhya Pradesh on Monday.

Mr. Gandhi began his three-day tour of the tribal areas from Chanda village in Dindori district, where he held discussions with the Baiga tribals on his arrival from Chhattisgarh on Saturday evening. While interacting with the tribals at Dindori and Mandla, Mr. Gandhi said the benefits of various Central welfare schemes were not reaching the tribals of the State. He told them that the UPA government had enacted the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 to protect their rights and those of the other forest-dwellers.

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