Ambassa, June 25: National Chairman of Adivasi Congress and senior Congress leader Dr Vikrant Bhuria on Tuesday strongly asserted that the Congress party is the only political force in the country that has consistently fought for the rights of tribal communities over Jal, Jungle, and Jameen (water, forest, and land). He accused other political parties of exploiting tribal societies for narrow political gains.
Dr Bhuria, who is also a legislator from Madhya Pradesh, is on a two-day visit to Tripura. On the first day, he addressed a public gathering organized by the tribal wing of the Congress at Ambassa. Lauding Congress workers in Tripura for their unwavering dedication, he said, “Congress has been out of power in the state since 1993 but has remained the voice of the people. The time has come to strengthen our base and emerge as a formidable force once again.”
He also criticized the RSS, accusing it of failing to understand tribal identity. Referring to the Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, he said, “The term ‘Vanvasi’ reflects their limited perspective. Tribals are not forest dwellers alone—we are the original inhabitants and rulers of this land.”
Dr Bhuria highlighted a recent meeting chaired by Rahul Gandhi with tribal MPs and MLAs from across India. “Rahul Ji listened to every representative and emphasized the need for unity among tribal communities. Our strength lies in collective action,” he said.
He further criticized the Tripura government’s claim of full literacy, alleging that government schools are closing and unemployment is rising under BJP rule.
The event also witnessed the joining of 246 voters from 62 families into the Congress party. Senior Congress leaders including Dr Saptagiri Ulaka, Christopher Tilak, Birajit Sinha, Sudip Roy Barman, and Asish Kumar Saha were present.