Jharkhandis,Moolvasis celebrate Obama's victory

Ranchi, Nov 5 (UNI) Adivasis in Jharkhand see a new ray of hope in victory of US President elect Barack Obama as it will end "colour prejudice" in the world.

No sooner had the news of Democrat nominee Obama's victory in US persidential elections been announced than a group of jubilant Jharkhand Adivasis gathered at the historic Morabadi ground here and burst crackers in front of Mahatma Gandhi's statue and distributed sweets.

''In Obama's win we feel that apartheid, still lingering in some parts of world, will surely vanish,'' a reveller here said.

Talking to UNI, Adivasi Moolvasi Jharkhand Manch co-ordinator Ratan Tirkey pointed out that Obama, despite being a black, could rise to the top post of the most powerful country in the world and asserted that the original people who were often ''looked down upon'' by non-Jharkhandis could also prove their mettle if given a chance.

''Nelson Mandela of South Africa had done his bit to erase apartheid but Obama's case is classic for he will prove to the world about the stuff he is made of,'' said Tirkey.

He regretted the fact that original Jharkhandis in their own state were always 'undermined'.

When his attenion was brought to the fact that all chief ministers--Babulal Marandi, Arjun Munda, Madhu Koda and Shibu Soren--were local tribals, he hastened to add that the 'brain behind governance was still outsiders'.

''We can prove equally effective in bureaucracy and management given the chance,'' he said.

He said today's celebration in the state was symbolic as the US, being the most powerful country, embraced a person of black origin.

Time was not far away when India, being the largest democracy, would do away with its age-old caste-based social fabric.

UNI PRS PL RN1809