RANCHI, AUG 30 (PTI): The Congress on Sunday alleged that the BJP and RSS were conspiring to weaken tribal representation by seeking to reduce seats reserved for them in legislatures through delimitation, and vowed to oppose any such exercise based on the 2007-08 delimitation report.
Addressing the ‘Adivasi Ekta Mahajutan Rally’ at Ranchi’s Morabadi Ground, state Congress in-charge K Raju said the party would stand with tribals in their fight to protect their political representation and rights over land, water and forests.
“The BJP tells ‘adivasis’ (tribals) they are forest dwellers, but our leader Rahul Gandhi clearly said you are ‘moolvasi’ and you have full rights over water, forest and land,” he said.
Raju said that Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, had told him to convey to the gathering that the proposed delimitation was a “BJP conspiracy” aimed at reducing tribal seats in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies.
All India Adivasi Congress chairman Vikrant Bhuria said the party was protesting against any move to reduce tribal representation through delimitation.
“The BJP is trying to reduce our seats of representation during delimitation. We have come to protest against that through this rally,” Bhuria said.
He said Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had demanded that delimitation be postponed for another 25 years so that tribal representation reflected their future population and reservation.
“All of you should always remember, as many seats as we have, that much will be our strength. They are going to reduce our power to contest elections,” he claimed.
Congress MP Sukhdeo Bhagat alleged that tribals had borne the brunt of displacement caused by mining, industries, large projects and dams.
“Tribal land is being snatched. Now, the BJP and RSS are conspiring to silence the tribals by reducing their seats in the name of delimitation. But they will never succeed in this land of Birsa Munda. Adivasi seats will not decrease, their voice will not be suppressed,” he said.
Former state minister Bandhu Tirkey said the Congress would oppose any delimitation exercise based on the 2007-08 report.
“The BJP and the RSS want to reduce our seats. But we want to make it clear that if they carry out the delimitation exercise based on the 2007-08 report, we will not tolerate it. The tribals are ready to fight for their rights,” he said.
Tirkey also alleged that the proposed delimitation could weaken constitutional safeguards under the Fifth Schedule and provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, or PESA.
He further alleged that the Centre had enacted the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2026, to take away the rights of tribal people over coal.
“The Union government wants to take away coal from Jharkhand and restrict the state’s power to levy taxes on mineral rights and mineral-bearing land parcels. We will not let them take even an ounce of coal. You all should also get ready to fight against it. This fight will continue until the Modi government takes back this law,” Tirkey said.
The former minister also alleged that Rs 1.36 lakh crore owed to Jharkhand was pending with the Centre and demanded that the BJP explain why the amount had not been released.
Meanwhile, five proposals were handed over to Raju during the rally for communicating them to Gandhi, said Lakshmi Narayan Munda, convener of the rally.
“The proposals include opposition to reducing ST seats in the name of delimitation, pressing the Centre to withdraw the MMDR Amendment Act, stopping illegal occupation, purchase and sale of tribal land in violation of the CNT Act, and granting a separate religious code to followers of the Sarna faith, among others,” he said.
Meanwhile, senior BJP leader Babulal Marandi accused the Congress of “cheating and deceiving” tribals throughout its political journey.
He also alleged that the state’s demography was being changed in a planned manner.
“Why are the Congress, missionaries and Hemant government silent on changing demography,” asked Marandi, who is the Leader of Opposition in the state assembly.
He said the constitutional rights of tribals were safe under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Marandi appealed to tribals not to “fall into the trap” of the Congress and missionaries and said the BJP would fight any attempt to “loot” the state.
