Rahul Gandhi has criticised the Sangh Parivar for their alleged attempts to replace the term 'Adivasi' with 'Vanavasi', which he said was disrespectful to the real owners of the forest land.
The Congress leader was addressing members of tribal communities in Wayanad after inaugurating a HT Power supply facility at Nalloornad near Mananthavady on Sunday.
Rahul reached Wayanad, his Lok Sabha constituency, on Saturday, after more than 100 days since his disqualification from Parliament over the 'Modi surname case'.
Now reinstated as an MP, the Congress leader has reiterated a comment he made last year in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his alleged usage of the term 'Vanavasi'.
According to Rahul, the term Vanavasi was a Sangh Parivar terminology, and it is derogatory.
“It (Vanavasi) denies the fact that you were the original owners of the land and it also restricts you to the jungle. The idea behind the word ‘Vanavasi’ means that you belong to the jungle and you should never leave the jungle which is simply not acceptable to us.”
On the other hand, “the word ‘Adivasi’ means the original owners of the land, which means particular wisdom, a particular understanding of the environment of the earth we live on, a particular relationship with the planet we live on,” said Rahul.
“The word also implies that original owners of this country should be given rights on land and forest, and should be allowed to do whatever they want to do there. As the original owners of this land, you should be able to have your children become doctors, lawyers, engineers, start businesses, and learn computers. But you should also get rights in the forests, right to land, and right over the forest produce,” he told members of the tribal community.
