Ahmedabad, July 22 : Gujarat Congress has announced that it will support the tribal-led bandh scheduled for July 23 that has been called against BJP’s failure to effectively address the escalating ethnic violence in Manipur.
The shutdown is being led by various tribal outfits, including the influential Adivasi Ekta Manch, primarily in the tribal-dominated districts of Gujarat.
Gujarat Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi said: “Congress is fully backing the bandh called by tribal the organisations to protest against the Central government’s inadequate response to the crisis in Manipur. We hold BJP squarely responsible for the current situation.”
Praful Vasava, a prominent tribal leader and former member of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), said that tribal communities will lead a bandh in Gujarat, protesting against a series of recent atrocities, including violence against women in Manipur, an incident in Madhya Pradesh, and persistent injustices against tribals in our own state.
Gujarat is home to about eight per cent of India’s Scheduled Tribe (ST) population, primarily residing in the state’s eastern districts.
Since ethnic violence broke out in Manipur on May 3 over 160 people have been killed so far and many others injured. (IANS)