Speech

Forest For Tribals in M.P

I congratulate all of you for your keen involvement in the management of forest and its protection. Our Madhya Pradesh government has been an example to other states by taking a new initiative like this and I, therefore, congratulate chief minister Digvijay Singh and his associates.

In true sense, people living in forest and their surroundings are the real children of nature. Therefore, whatever steps are taken for the protection of nature and for their benefits are never sufficient. The life of our tribal brothers is wholly linked to the forests and mostly depends on it. We, people, who live in towns and cities, with the passage of time have not only changed our style of living but have also learned to suppress our emotions. We do not find this artificial life in our tribal brothers and sisters - what they are inside, same they are outside. They express their feelings and emotions unhindered and live with open heart and mind as per their age-old traditions. In fact, they know how to live.

This is the reason that the tribal culture and tradition had a special place in the hearts of Panditji, Indiraji and Rajivji. They always made efforts to preserve the tribal culture and tradition but also saw that the facilities of modern time should also fulfil the needs of the tribals. Our governments at the Centre and in states have made continuous efforts in this direction.

You know that I have come to this place several times in the past. But this time I am more satisfied than in the past. By constituting forest committees and forest protection committees, our Madhya Pradesh government has initiated steps not only for social justice but also for social welfare. The human life depends on protection of forest and protection of environment. I have received information that after implementation of this plan, the forest area in Madhya Pradesh has somewhat increased. This is not a small achievement that development and management of more than half of the forest is in the hands of 13,000 forest committees and forest protection committees and altogether about 50 lakh people are involved in this programme.

I believe that Madhya Pradesh is the first state in the country where tribals have got ownership rights over the forest produce. Now they do not have to seek permission for small forest produce. Our Madhya Pradesh government has done a good job of making tribals working as labourers in the forest as owners and have set an example for the entire country. This type of experiment regarding Tendu leaf began during the period of Indiraji. Not a paisa of the profit made out of Tendu leaf goes to the government treasury. Fifty percent of the profit amount is distributed among labourers as bonus and the rest is spent on development of the forest and to meet the needs of the villages. What bigger proof can there be that Congress is very much concerned about the common man, the villages, the poor man and the person standing last in the row of the society? This is the path of Gandhiji, this is the village-self-rule and this is the service to the "Daridra Narain" (the poor man). The Congress has always tried to tread on this path and will do so in future too. Our intention and viewpoint are explicit. The Congress is worried about all sections of society but we are more worried about the progress of the poor, the weak and other backward people. First of all, the Congress is with the weak and the poor.

The politics is a ladder for parties like BJP and its allies to reach the seat of power. That’s why before every election, they feel the need and look for new issues. They are like devotees who remember God only during the election. It can be easily understood when they have this type of relation with God how will they treat human beings. Perhaps, for this very reason BJP does not hesitate in making all sorts of promises during the elections, which it will never fulfil. You must be remembering that BJP made such tall promises during the last election which gave the impression that after forming its government at the Centre there will be no problem in this land of India and perhaps heaven will descend on earth.

But what happened? Problems cropped up in the life of all sections of society after it came to power. It has become very difficult for common man to survive and bring up his family. My sisters’ know how they run their families. Inflation has broken the backbone of the people. Educated youths are out of jobs in the regime of the people who promised to give jobs to one crore youths. Seat of power was their destination and now corruption has become their religion. There are frauds and scandals everywhere. BJP and its allies have tried to shatter the social unity and have tried to raise a barrier between the people. How can a country or a state be safe in the rule of such people? How can a common man benefit? How can the work of progress and development take place? This is the major difference between the Congress and parties like BJP.

Today, Congress governments are in fifteen states and the entire country is realising that these government are performing better than the Central Government in spite of hurdles. You must be aware that I hold the meeting of our chief ministers to review how many promises, we made during the election, have been fulfilled? There is unity in our deeds and sayings. In our hearts, there is love and dignity for every citizen. We want to bring the cooling light of the full moon and the illumination of Deepawali in their life and not the darkness of Amavasya (moon-less night). We want Madhya Pradesh and the entire country to continuously tread on the path of development and progress. I am sure that to do all this the Congress will always continue to get your cooperation and we shall continue to make progress on the path of development.

(The Congress President’s address to Conference of forest Committee, in Mandla, MP on April 12, 2003)