Rahul to embark on tribal area visits

New Delhi, Apr 22: AICC General Secretary Rahul Gandhi will undertake a four-day visit to the tribal districts of poll-bound Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh from April 25 "in keeping with the Congress Party's philosophy of special focus on tribal regions," it was announced today. "The special focus of Mr Gandhi and the historical focus of the Congress Party on the tribal communities is well known," AICC spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi told mediapersons, while pointing out that he had postponed his scheduled visit to Jharkhand.

Highlighting the various "unprecedented" and "unique" measures taken by the UPA government to improve the lot of the tribals since 2004, he said "Mr Gandhi's trip should be seen as part of that holistic connectivity." He also said the bill passed by the government in respect to the forest areas and tribal rights was a unique post-independent achievement. "As and when the pattas are fully and properly distributed we believe that it will constitute a unique co-ownership of Demcoracy itself by these communities in areas which has traditionally been theirs.'' Mr Singhvi added the UPA government had made a higher allocation for tribal welfare and their uplift.

Replying to a question, the spokesman said Mr Gandhi's visit to Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh was the first phase of his series of similar visits to other tribal areas.

UNI