BJP wants to weaken tribal society, snatch land to benefit some industrialists: Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has accused the NDA government of trying its best to weaken the strong PESA -- Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) -- law and said the party will stand up for the tribals as a protective shield.

He stated this after meeting a group of tribal leaders here on Monday.

In a post on his WhatsApp channel after the meeting organized by the All India Tribal Congress, Gandhi said there was a deep discussion about their main problems and the injustices being done to them.

"The main issue is the snatching of water, forest, land and suppression of rights. The BJP government is continuously selling natural resources to a select few billionaires -- forests, which are the homes of the tribals, their heritage, are being destroyed, tribals are being rendered homeless," he alleged.

Along with this, the forest produce that sustains the livelihood of the tribals is also being destroyed, Gandhi claimed.

"Crops like tendu leaves, mahua, which are of great importance to the tribal economy, are being eliminated - the backbone of their employment and business is being broken," he alleged.

Gandhi further claimed that the NDA government is trying its best to weaken the strong PESA law made by the Congress and the UPA government.

"The budget allocated for the panchayats of tribal areas either lapses, or is transferred. This is a well-planned conspiracy against this community - so that they cannot become self-reliant and empowered, and cannot raise their voice for their rights," the former Congress president said.

Along with this, a deep conspiracy is also going on against the education of tribal children, he said.

"In the name of rationalization, more than 10,000 schools are being closed in tribal-dominated states like Chhattisgarh - when tribal children are not educated, how will they recognize their rights, their participation and share," he said.

"The BJP wants the tribal society, the first owners of India, to become weak - their forests and land should be snatched away and some industrialists should be made richer. The Congress party and I are with the tribal brothers and sisters -- we have made many laws to empower them, now we will stand in front of them as a shield to protect them," Gandhi said.