New Delhi: Amid Jharkhand Assembly elections, the BJP is going all out to woo tribals in a state with 26% of the tribal population. In New Delhi's Ram Lila ground, a BJP MP organised 'Adivasi Astitva Garjana', on Monday. It was a congregation with an eye on tribals living across India.
Though it is a personal effort by BJP's Adilabad MP Soyam Bapurao, who earlier was with TRS, it bore a clear BJP imprint. The ruling party's ST Wing has actively collaborated to make it a success.
Not only from poll-bound Jharkhand but tribals from Bihar and Chhattisgarh are among others states that participated in the event. A large contingent from Telangana came by reserving four trains to Delhi.
As much as 42 BJP member of Parliaments are scheduled to attend the gathering which aims to focus on tribal rights and tribal empowerment. BJP Working President JP Nadda's name figured on the invite.
Among other demands, the tribals want implementation of forest rights law and also exclusion of Lambadi community from tribal list.
Jharkhand has three more phases of elections left. When the BJP projects Raghubar Das, a non-tribal as its Chief Ministerial face, this could well be a way to appease the tribal community or at least reach out to them.
A few days ago, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during campaigning in Jharkhand, had remarked that Lord Ram became 'Maryada Purushottam' because he spent time with tribals.
While addressing a rally in Khunti, he had said, "A prince leaves from Ayodhya and after 14 years of 'vanvaas', on his return, he becomes 'Maryada Purushottam Ram' because Prince Ram spent those years with 'adivasis'."
Earlier in November, in another election rally, PM Modi had asserted, the BJP government is committed to protecting Jharkhand's 'Jal, Jungle, Jameen' (water, forest and land).
