"Tribals are first owners of country," says Congress' Rahul Gandhi

Dhar (Madhya Pradesh) [India], March 6 (ANI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has taken a jibe at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stating that they (BJP) have started calling tribals as Vanvashi (forest dwellers) but tribals are the first owners of the country.
The Congress leader made the remark while addressing a public gathering at Badnawar town in Madhya Pradesh's Dhar district on Wednesday.
"They (BJP) have started calling Adivasis (tribal) as 'Vanvasi'...Adivasis means those persons who are the first owners of this land...These people (BJP) do not tell you but there was a time when tribal people lived in this entire country. You are the first owner of the country. These people (BJP) don't want you to know this because if they call you Adivasis then they will have to give you jungle, water and land rights," Rahul Gandhi said.
"Vanvashi (Forest dwellers) mean those people who live in the forest. Adivasi, the original owners of India and Vanvashi are those people who live in the forest. There can be no greater insult to you than this, you are not Vanvashi. You are the original owner of India," he added.
The Congress leader has further said that the state has 24 percent Adivasi population whereas this figure is eight percent for the country.
"Madhya Pradesh has 24 per cent Adivasi population whereas this figure is eight per cent for the country...I want you to take out the list of the biggest companies in India and their owners...You will realise that not even one owner belongs to the Adivasi community. You can take out the list of the owners of various media companies too, the big anchors. In that too, you won't find an Adivasi..," he added.

Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi also spotted visiting a Guava field during his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Ratlam district in the state on Wednesday.

Notably, the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra entered the state on March 2 and today is the last day of the yatra in the state. The Yatra will enter Rajasthan on Thursday and will enter Gujarat by the afternoon on the same day.
The Congress's 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra', after the party's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', aims to cover 6,700 km through 15 states, with Lok Sabha polls around the corner.
The Lok Sabha polls are slated to be held in April-May this year. (ANI)