The Wayanad MP reiterated the issue that he had brought up just a few days prior in Rajasthan when speaking at a party event.
Digital Desk: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday accused the BJP, which is in power at the federal level, was attempting to reject the identity of tribal tribes as the original owners of the land and to confine them to the jungles by calling them "Vanvasi" rather than "Adivasi."
The Wayanad MP reiterated the issue that he had brought up just a few days prior in Rajasthan when speaking at a party event. At that time, he claimed that the BJP "insults" the tribal people by calling them "Vanvasi" instead of "Adivasi" and seizes their forest land to hand it over to industrialists.
Gandhi claimed that there was a "perverted logic" behind referring to tribal people as vanvasis today after launching the HT Connection at the Dr Ambedkar District Memorial Cancer Centre at Nalloornad in the Mananthavady neighbourhood of the Wayanad district of the state.
"The idea is that you belong in the jungle and should not leave the jungle," he said. "It is to deny that you (tribes) are the original owners of the land and also restrict you to the jungle."
The leader of the Congress stated that his party did not agree with this ideology since the term "vanvasi" was a "distortion" of the history and customs of the tribal people and an "attack" on their connection with the nation.
"For us (Congress), you are Adivasi, the original owners of the land," he stated.
Gandhi went on to say that as Adivasis were the original land owners, they should have access to the land and woods as well as "be allowed to have the imagination to do whatever they want".
They ought to be provided the same opportunities as everyone else in the nation for employment, education, and other vocations.
"You (tribals) shouldn't be limited or lumped together. You should have access to the entire planet," he said.
According to Gandhi, the term "Adivasi" refers to a special wisdom, a comprehension of the world in which we exist, and a connection to the Earth.
Additionally, he claimed that since contemporary society has destroyed forests and polluted the environment, the terms "environment" and "environment protection" have gained popularity.
Adivasis, however, have been discussing environmental preservation for a very long time. So you've got a lot to teach us, he said.
The Congress leader expressed his optimism that the new electrical connection will help the cancer center's doctors and patients deal with the issues brought on by the region's regular power outages.
He noted that the hospital will receive an additional Rs 5 crore as a result of the excellent work done by the district officials and expressed his happiness to provide Rs 50 lakh from the MPLADS money for the same.
I'm sure it would be put to good use, he replied.
He also brought up the idea of having mobile breast cancer screening units that may visit women's homes and check them for disease during the event.
He put forth the suggestion, claiming he had learned that numerous women in this area were being diagnosed with breast cancer.
"Having mobile screening units will help us catch the disease early and save their lives," he asserted.
He will be flying to Kozhikode district later this evening to formally lay the groundwork for the Community Disability Management Centre (CDMC) at St. Joseph High School Auditorium in Kodenchery.
Then, at approximately 10.30 p.m., he is expected to fly from Calicut International Airport to Delhi.
Gandhi made his first trip since being reinstalled as the MP of Wayanad on Saturday when he arrived in Kerala for a two-day visit.
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