After dalits, it’s tribal cause for Rahul now

NEW DELHI: The industry may be uneasy with Mr Jairam Ramesh’s ‘environmental fundamentalism’ but Congress seems determined to tap his action against Vedanata’s mining plans in Niyamgiri. Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi, who is visiting Niyamgiri on August 26, will drive home his party’s political point that interests of tribals are safe only in Congress hands.

The environment ministry rejected clearance for Vedanta’s mining proposal on the ground that it threatened two endangered tribal communities in the area. During his visit, Mr Gandhi will be addressing a public meeting at Laljigarh where Vedanta’s refinery is located. The tribals of the area will be observing Adivasi Adhikar Diwas on that day.

The tribals, which formed the core of the Congress’ electoral constituency, has of late been siding with its political adversaries. Not just in Orissa, but in other parts of the nation, they have settled in new nesting grounds.

Congress has been making a determined bid to win back tribal support. The National Advisory Committee headed by Ms Sonia Gandhi has identified tribal rights as one of the biggest outreach programmes for UPA-II. A discussion is on in NAC on how to address grievances of tribals.

Congress is unhappy over poor implementation of Forest Rights Act. The UPA government could not make any decisive interventions in its previous avatar as the department was handled by DMK, a party that does not brook any interference in the functioning of ministries assigned to it.

Mr Rahul Gandhi has been supportive of the fight against bauxite mining at Niyamgiri. During his visit to the area two years ago, the Congress leader had promised to be at the tribal population’s vanguard in Delhi in their struggle against big corporates.
The latest visit is seen as part of Congress plans to challenge BJD, which is well-entrenched in rural areas of Orissa. Congress has so far not been successful in denting chief minister Navin Patnaik’s hold over the state.