Rahul Gandhi tells tribals they have saved their land

Kalahandi (Orissa), Aug 26 (ANI): Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said Central Government's rejection of environment clearance to a bauxite mining project in the Niyamgiri Hills is a victory of the local tribal people.

"Your voice reached Delhi and you saved your land. I did what I could, but this is your victory. We promised you in 2004 that there will be a government for the aam admi (common man) and we gave you that," said Gandi addressing a tribal rally here.

"For the tribals of Kalahandi, there is a soldier in Delhi named Rahul Gandhi. My work is not finished, it's begun. Whenever you need me, wherever, I am ready to stand with you," he added recalling his words from a visit two years ago.

Rahul Gandhi addressed the rally at the same place, where the UK-based Vedanta group has set up a refinery unit.

Earlier in March 2008, Gandhi had visited Lanjigarh area and said : "Some tribal youth had told him that they worshiped the Niyamgiri Hills and that their God was being snatched from them."

The Nehru-Gandhi scion's visit to the backward Lanjigarh area comes at a time when Vedanta's mining plan in Niyamgiri Hills, home to Dangaria and Kutia Kandha tribes, has suffered a body blow with Union Environment Ministry rejected plans of India-focused miner Vedanta Resources Plc to go ahead with bauxite mining in the State on Tuesday, saying that it violated forest laws. (ANI)