BJP govt deliberately downplaying contributions of tribals: Ashok Gehlot

Jaipur, Sep 18 (PTI) Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of deliberately downplaying the contributions of tribal communities ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the tribal-dominated Banswara district.

He alleged that Mangarh Dham's history has been removed from a class 4 textbook, reflecting the BJP's mindset towards Adivasi identity.

Banswara district’s Mangarh Dham, located near the Rajasthan-Gujarat border, is a historically significant site for the tribal community, particularly the Bhils. It is often referred to as the "Jallianwala Bagh of Rajasthan" due to the massacre that occurred there in 1913.

The site is associated with Govind Guru, a revered social reformer and tribal leader who led the Bhagat movement, a religious and social awakening movement among the Bhils against British rule and local exploitation.

In a post on X, Gehlot said, "Since the BJP came to power, it has consistently tried to undermine the role and sacrifices of the tribal people. The decision to remove the history of Mangarh Dham from school textbooks is yet another example of this mentality." He claimed that earlier, a lesson on Veer Kalibai, known for her contribution to education in tribal areas, was also removed from the curriculum.

"The BJP seems determined to erase the memory of tribal valour and sacrifice. But the legacy of tribal heroes is not so fragile that it can be erased simply by deleting chapters from textbooks," the former chief minister said.

Demanding an apology from the BJP, he said that the government should immediately restore the content related to Mangarh Dham and tribal history in the school syllabus.

Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to visit Banswara on September 25 to lay the foundation stone of an atomic energy project. He will also address a public meeting there. PTI SDA ANM ANM MPL MPL