Brinda Karat blasts BJP

Miryalguda: Former MP and CPM national leader Brinda Karat has accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of having no concern for tribal welfare and of conspiring to lift tribal reservations. She made these statements at a demonstration organised on the occasion of the state-level meeting of the Tribal Association held here on Wednesday. Former MLA Julakanti Rangareddy, former MLC CherupallySeetharamulu and AIDWA State Secretary Mallu Lakshmi and others participated in the demonstration.

Addressing the gathering, Brinda Karat criticised the Modi government for cut in Union Budget outlay for tribal welfare and for not providing adequate welfare for the tribal women who are falling ill due to malnutrition. She pointed out that the budget failed to give funds in proportion to the tribal population. She also alleged that the Central government was even planning to remove the tribal sub-plan. At present, only 2.7% of the budget total outlay is allocated to the tribals, who constitute 8.6% of the population. She expressed concern over digital divide and how tribal students living in tribal areas were deprived of education due to lack of internet and other facilities during Covid. Karat pointed out that only Rs 1 crore was allocated in the central budget for the tribal universities in Telugu states, which shows how little Modi cares for tribals. She also criticized the center for trying to evict tribals from forests by flouting the Forest Rights Act.

Karat further criticised the Modi government for not providing employment guarantees for the promised 200 days. The government was providing work only for 100 days. Besides, it was not even paying for the work done. She urged the people to come forward and stop Modi's bulldozer politics across the country. She drew attention to the spike in the prices of essential commodities under Modi's rule, which was pushing common people into deep crisis. Finally, Karat welcomed the BRS party's fight against the BJP and warned that she would fight against KCR if he implemented the same policies as Modi.