Kochi: In a scathing attack on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the party of attempting to marginalize tribal communities by referring to them as "Vanvasi" instead of "Adivasi," thereby denying their original ownership of land. Gandhi raised this issue during an event in Wayanad, Kerala, echoing his previous remarks in Rajasthan.

Gandhi inaugurated the HT Connection at Dr Ambedkar District Memorial Cancer Centre in Wayanad, where he asserted that labeling tribals as "Vanvasi" was an ideological distortion aimed at restricting their connection with the land and confining them to forests. He emphasized that for the Congress, tribals are "Adivasi," the original landowners, and should have equal rights to land, forests, education, jobs, and opportunities.

The Congress leader commended the wisdom of Adivasis in environmental conservation, stating that while the terms "environment" and "environmental protection" have gained recent prominence, Adivasis have long been stewards of the environment. He expressed his intention to allocate Rs 50 lakh from the MPLADS fund for the cancer centre and proposed mobile breast cancer screening units to benefit women. Rahul Gandhi's visit to Kerala, his first since being reinstated as the MP of Wayanad, underscores his commitment to advocating for tribal rights and environmental awareness.

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