Separate Girijan devpt corporation if BJP comes to power: Bandi

Hyderabad: State BJP chief Bandi Sanjay Kumar on Wednesday announced setting up of a separate corporation for development of Girijan hamlets if the party is voted to power in Telangana.

Addressing the gathering at the birth anniversary celebrations of tribal spiritual guru Santh Sevalal Maharaj at State party office, he described him as the saviour of the Banjara tribe, which suffered at the hands of the British and Muslim rulers.

"Born as a simple human being, Sevalal had shown the path of divinity to the Banjaras and taught them how to fight to protect their culture and tradition," Bandi said. He promised to construct a mandir for Sevalal at Banjara Hills and develop it as a pilgrim centre. The BJP president said the Modi government had given top priority to tribals. As many as eight Girijans had been inducted in the Central Cabinet, while an Adivasi woman had been made the President.

"In Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao has been cheating the girijans. He doesn't attend the birth or death anniversary meetings of any Dalit or tribal leaders like Sevalal Maharaj, Ambedkar, Phule and Jagjivan Ram," he criticised.

He alleged that tribal areas in Telangana were totally neglected, with no drinking water supply under the Mission Bhagiratha scheme and no proper road network. "KCR claims to have converted tribal hamlets into gram panchayats but has not been releasing even a single paisa for them." The tribals have been migrating to cities for petty employment like auto rickshaw driving and manual labour," he pointed out.

Bandi also accused KCR of cheating tribals by failing to implement 12 per cent reservations and provide title deeds for podu lands. "In the neighbouring State there is a separate corporation for development of tribal hamlets." "Why is it not being implemented in Telangana?" he asked. He assured that if the BJP comes to power, it will lay special emphasis on tribal development by creating an exclusive corporation.