BHOPAL, Oct 10: The Bharatiya Janata Party’s Madhya Pradesh unit chief V D Sharma on Tuesday hit out at the Congress, alleging that the party was still carrying the genes of the British and implementing the “divide and rule” policy.
Sharma was reacting to Rahul Gandhi’s speech made at Beohari in Shahdol district earlier in the day, in which the Congress leader claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi used to describe tribals as “vanvasis” but he (Gandhi) has forced him to use the word “adivasi”.
“There is a difference between the words adivasi and vanvasi. Adivasi means those who come to Hindustan first and who are owners of this land while Vanvasis are those living in the forest,” Gandhi said and questioned the “intention” behind using the word “vanvasi”.
Referring to it, Sharma said, “Rahul Gandhi in his speech said that vanvasis are different from adivasis. He said vanvasis are outsiders.” The state BJP chief said, “Congress is carrying the genes of the British. They believe in divide and rule. He (Gandhi) could have at least taken the names of tribal icons, those who have laid their lives for the country.” Instead of mentioning tribal icons, he tried to divide them (community), Sharma alleged.
“After so many years of independence, a separate ministry was finally formed for the tribals by the then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee,” he said.
Sharma added that the President of India had notified the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act of the BJP government of Madhya Pradesh, aimed at empowering the tribals, during a function held in the same area where Rahul Gandhi addressed a gathering.
Congress is working only to divide the people, he said.
“The people of Madhya Pradesh will end these genes of the British from the Congress,” he said.
Talking to reporters in Indore, BJP’s Rajya Sabha MP and party’s state unit spokesperson Sumer Singh Solanki, also a tribal, said, “Gandhi is misleading people by differentiating with words like adivasi, janjati or vanvasi. The ideology of the British is in your mentality and as per the character of your party (Congress), you are trying to create division among the tribals by confusing them.” (PTI)
