JJM burns Patil's effigy over remarks on ST status to adivasis

Ranchi, Nov 28 (UNI) Reacting to Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil's remarks that ST status could not be accorded to adivasis living in Assam, the Jharkhand Janadhikar Manch (JMM) today burnt him in effigy here.

JJM president Jagdish Lohra referred to RSS chief K S Sudershan's statement a few months back here that there were no indigenous people in India and said the Congress-led UPA was no different from the ideology of the saffron brigrade.

He said the Centre's opinion that ST status could not be accorded to adivasis put a question mark over the existence of indigenous people residing in the country.

''This attitude of the Congress party will not be tolerated and the agitation will be launched to unmask the party on the particular issue'', Mr Lohra said.

'' It was a matter of concern that MPs and MLAs of the state were silent on the issue and not a single voice was raised by anyone of them,'' he added.

The silence by the so called leaders from the state on the Union Home Minister's remarks would not be taken in right earnest by the people here and they would be given proper answer, he said.

He said adivasis living for a long period in Assam must get the ST status and the Centre should try to address the issue with responsibility.

A party delegation would meet President Pratibha Patil and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in this regard.

UNI