Farmers Movement Archive

‘Modi government is ‘dhokha jeevi’, democracy not in BJP DNA’

UDAIPUR: CPI(M) Politburo member Brinda Karat on Wednesday said tribals in South Rajasthan are totally bereft of their land and forest rights. “They have not been granted pattas, they cannot use sand from the land or timber from the forest and hence big traders from Gujarat are selling them these products at exorbitant prices. This is the reason that some 1,400 to 1,600 tribal homes are standing as incomplete structures,” she said. Brinda, the national vice-president of Adivasi Janadhikar Eka Manch, was on a two-day visit to Udaipur. She said the state government and administration unreluctantly grant rights of land, hills to bigshots and industrialists but when the poor tribal people try to build homes, they are harassed with documentation, penalised on the pretext of rules and regulations and not even granted loans by banks. Launching a scathing attack on the Modi government, Brinda said, “Modi is a ‘Dhokha jeevi’ govt. For example, their budget is a complete cheating on the name of tribal education. On one hand they announce 750 new Eklavya residential schools for tribal areas, but on the other hand they allocated only a Rs 100 crore budget compared to last year. In 2020, the fund allocated for the Eklavya schools was Rs 1,313 crore whereas this year it is Rs 1,418 crore. It should have been atleast Rs 25,000 crore if they really wish to build 750 new schools.” Karat also condemned the Gehlot government for registering cases against tribal youths in connection to the Kankri Dungri movement. She said what Modi is doing at the Centre, the Congress tries to repeat it at the regional level. On a question related to BTP's contribution towards tribal issues, Karat said the party had not so far taken up any concrete issue for their cause. Commenting on farmers’ protest, she said, “Modiji and his supporters have called all bad names to the poor farmers who have been protesting for their rights. From Khalistanis to Chinese agents and Naxals, they have given all names. It is not in the DNA of the BJP or the RSS to endure dissent or act democratically. If they really wish to make amends, Modiji should keep aside his arrogance and take back the farm laws. A new farm law should be made taking the consent of the farmers,” she said.

The Times of India

2021-02-11

Jaipur