Congress has always been anti-tribal: Ex-Jharkhand CM Champai Soren

Former Jharkhand chief minister Champai Soren on Friday alleged that the Congress has always been ''anti-tribal'' and held the party responsible for the plight of the Adivasis in the country.

Soren made the remarks while seeing off at Tatanagar railway station a group of tribal artistes, who were leaving to Delhi to participate in the 'Janjatiya Sanskritik Samagam' beginning May 24.

The event is being organised by the 'Janjati Suraksha Manch' and will witness the participation of tribals from across the country, he said.

Launching a sharp attack on the Congress, the BJP MLA alleged that the party had ordered lathi-charge and firing on tribals and other indigenous people during the Jharkhand movement.

He also claimed that the then Congress government removed the Tribal Religion Code from the 1961 Census despite its existence during the British period.

Referring to former MP Kartik Oraon, Soren said he had moved a proposal in Parliament in 1967 seeking ''delisting'' of converted tribals from the Scheduled Tribe category to prevent them from availing reservation benefits.

According to Soren, a Joint Parliamentary Committee later recommended that tribals who converted to Christianity or Islam and gave up tribal traditions should no longer be treated as members of the tribal community.

He alleged that despite support from several MPs, the then Congress government did not act on the proposal.

Soren praised the BJP for taking steps for tribal welfare, including setting up Eklavya schools and declaring Bhagwan Birsa Munda's birth anniversary as Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas.

He also said that for the first time, a tribal woman had been elevated to the country's highest constitutional post under the BJP government.

Criticising the Jharkhand Congress for allegedly appealing to the people to boycott the Samagam, Soren alleged that the party was uncomfortable with tribals becoming aware about preserving their culture and traditions.

He demanded the implementation of the delisting proposal and sought amendment to Article 342 of the Constitution to protect tribal culture and identity.