AAM chief chants Church mantra for tribal upliftment

Jamshedpur, Jul 26 (UNI) Adivasi Adhikar Morcha (AAM) Chief Convenor Salkhan Murmu today said Church has expressed concern over the plight of the tribals in Jharkhand and shown interest for their upliftment.

Talking to newsmen here, Mr Murmu said the political parties, state government and a huge number of non-governmental organisations were overlooking the welfare of the tribals and Church could be the only option to whom the AAM could work with.

He regretted that the political parties and the government were apathetic towards the issues like domicile, PESA Act to hold panchayat election, preservaton of tribal land and recognition of tribal languages.

''AAM would like to raise those burning issues with the Church and launch a joint efforts to resolve,''Mr Murmu said.

When asked if the AAM would be branded as non-secular force if it join hands with a particular community, Mr Murmu, who recently attended a meeting of Bishops of this region in Ranchi as a special invitee, said '' As long as the interests of the tribals are served and they get their legitimate rights, the AAM would not bother to join hands with the Christians.'' Mr Murmu, a former BJP MP from Orissa's Mayurbhanj constituency, also praised the role of the missionaries in this region for the upliftment of the tribals through education and providing monetary support.

The AAM chief also launched tirade against JMM supremo and Union Coal Minister Sibu Soren for ''misleading'' the tribals by distributing a book ''Jharkhand Mati Ki Pukar'' during the party's Padayatra programme, which began yesterday.

He said the book, written by Mr Soren, was just opposite to what he preached and it was nothing but cheating the people.

Lauding the formation of Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (JVM) of the former Chief Minister Babulal Marnadi, Mr Murmu said floating of such parties would be justified if they raised the tribal related issues.

The issues like corruption, development and extremism are national issues and not regional ones, Mr Murmu opined.

Mr Murmu said he would go for an indefinite hunger strike before the Governor's house in Ranchi from August nine on the International Indigenous People's Day, demanding justice for the tribal people, who were displaced from their own land due to various welfare projects, formation of a national rehabilitation policy and making the tribals partner for donating land for setting up industries and other developmental projects.

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