New Delhi [India], August 9 (ANI): Aam Aadmi Party national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday extended greetings to the tribal community on World Tribal Day and alleged that it had faced the “most injustice” over the last 75 years, claiming that its water, forest and land resources had been plundered.
In a video message on the occasion of Adivasi Diwas, Kejriwal said the country had progressed over the last 75 years, but the tribal community had been left behind, alleging that it had been deliberately deprived of development.
“In the last 75 years, the most injustice has happened to the tribal community. The country has progressed in the last 75 years, people of all other communities have progressed, but the tribal community has been left behind,” said Kejriwal in his video message.
He alleged that the community had been deliberately kept behind and that its resources had been taken away and given to big companies.
“Why? Because the tribal community was deliberately kept behind. All their resources were plundered. Water, forest, land… these are the birthrights of the tribal community. But these were snatched from the community and given to big companies. Because the leaders of these other parties were thieves, their leaders were corrupt,” Kejriwal said.
Kejriwal claimed that the Aam Aadmi Party was fighting for the rights of the tribal community and that its leaders had been jailed several times while fighting for those rights.
He also referred to AAP leader Chaitar Vasava and said he had repeatedly gone to jail while raising issues concerning the tribal community.
“Chaitar Vasava is your son; Chaitar Vasava is your brother. Don’t know how many times he has gone to jail to get you your rights,” Kejriwal said.
He further alleged that the PESA Act had not been implemented despite being enacted, and claimed that decisions concerning tribal communities were being taken without consulting them or the Gram Sabha.
“These people brought the PESA Act but did not implement the PESA Act. Without asking the community, without asking the Gram Sabha, they take all these decisions. Today Chaitar Vasava is in jail because he is fighting for you. Pray that he comes out soon. Jai Johar,” he said.
Chaitar Vasava is an AAP leader and a prominent tribal leader. (ANI)
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