Sonia: Welfare approach is needed
The Congress party on Friday showed off its support base among tribal women at an impressive rally ahead of the Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and other states. Party supremo Sonia Gandhi said the government is working on a law which can develop mineral wealth to benefit tribals.
This was Mrs Gandhi’s second public address after the Youth Congress meeting held here a few days ago.
A cheerful Sonia Gandhi took everyone by surprise by joining a group of tribal women in their traditional dance after her inaugural address. She came down from the stage and mingled with them.
Well-placed sources in the Congress said she would also be addressing meetings in Uttar Pradesh, going to Assembly polls likely in February next.
Speaking at the national convention on “Empowerment to tribal women” organised by the All- India Mahila Congress, Mrs Gandhi favoured an approach of welfare and development to defeat left-wing extremism and insurgency and bring back youth involved in it back to the democratic mainstream.
“We know there is left-wing extremism and insurgency in many districts of the country which have a sizeable tribal population. We can defeat them only by properly implementing rural development programmes,” she said.
She called upon both the Centre as well as states to address the issue seriously, saying it is their fundamental and constitutional obligation to ensure development of tribal areas.
“The Centre and state governments should do their fundamental and constitutional duties in helping tribal areas with full earnest. I feel that if we do this, we will be able to bring those people who have adopted the culture of violence back to the democratic mainstream,” Mrs Gandhi said.
She called upon Mahila Congress workers to campaign for tribal rights in states where the Centre’s welfare programmes were not being properly implemented. “It is the responsibility of the Mahila Congress and you all to create awareness of various central welfare schemes at the block and district level and guide the tribals in such a way that make use of them. Wherever such schemes are not implemented, you should struggle and also resort to a movement (andolan),” she said. She said that tribals were a great example of the nation’s diversity and there was need to provide them with such opportunities that they progressed further.
“The tribals are an example of our great tradition of diversity. Today, it is not just a question of protecting and preserving the age-old tribal tradition, which has enriched our society, but also to provide them opportunities to make them grow further.”
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