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Congress walks out over minister’s remarks on tribals in Gujarat assembly

-DNA

Though senior Congress leaders were not present in the assembly, the spirit of Congress MLAs was high and it was evident from the walkout which they staged on Wednesday. They were demanding an apology from state tribal development minister Mangu Patel for his alleged derogatory comments on tribals of the state.

The discussion on non-governmental resolution by members of the assembly was scheduled for Wednesday.

Congress MLA from Pavi Jetpur and chairman of the public accounts committee in the assembly, Mohansinh Rathwa, presented a resolution in the house about the situation of tribals in the state.

In his reply, tribal development minister Mangu Patel, referring to the past assembly proceedings, said, “It was said in the house that Adivasi to bidi anne boomla mein kharidai jaaye chhe. (Tribals can be bought for bidi and Boomla, dried sea fish).”

Irked by the minister’s remark, Congress MLAs began shouting slogans inside the House ‘Mangubhai Maafi Maange’ (Mangubhai should tender an apology).

The minister, though, refused to apologise, as a result of which Congress members walked out of the House raising anti-government slogans.

Outside the House, senior Congress MLA leader Siddharth Patel told reporters that their party MLA Mohansinh Rathwa had brought a motion in the House raising serious concerns over the neglect of tribals in Gujarat and injustice being meted out to them by the state government.

In reply to the motion, the minister made derogatory remarks, which depict the entire tribal community in poor light and is an insult to them, he said.

Patel said, “We demanded an apology from the minister in the House and for him to take back his words. However, he refused to do so. We had no other option but to walk out from the assembly.”

Rathwa also alleged in the motion that the development work in tribal areas, which should have undertaken on a fast track basis, have been delayed due to small budgetary allocations by the state government.