Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Monday criticized the BJP and RSS for using the term “Vanvasis” to describe tribal communities, arguing that the label dilutes tribal identity and undermines their claims to land and resources. Speaking at the ‘Adivasi Adhikar Samvidhan Sammelan’ in Vadodara, Gandhi also reiterated his call for a caste-based census to ensure equitable representation for tribal populations in India’s institutions and economy.

Gandhi emphasized the distinction between the terms “Adivasi” and “Vanvasis,” stating that the former reflects the status of tribals as the original owners of India’s land, forests, and water. “Vanvasi means that you were not the original owner. Adivasi means this country was yours,” he said, linking language to the political and economic marginalization of tribal communities.

The Congress leader criticized government policies and privatization efforts that, he argued, have weakened protections for tribals. He highlighted challenges in access to education, alleging closures of government colleges and universities in Gujarat, and argued that high-quality public institutions are essential for social mobility among marginalized communities.

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Gandhi also raised concerns about the government’s handling of programs such as MGNREGA, contrasting the support offered to marginalized citizens with perceived corporate debt forgiveness. He questioned whose development benefits current policies, suggesting that economic gains remain concentrated among a small segment of the population rather than the poor, farmers, or tribal communities.

On foreign policy, Gandhi criticized recent agricultural trade agreements with the United States, asserting that opening the sector could adversely affect Indian farmers who rely on traditional practices. He connected these policy decisions to the broader need for structural representation, calling for a tribal census to ensure proportional participation in bureaucracy, corporate India, and other decision-making spaces.

Concluding his address, Gandhi linked land rights to development politics, arguing that tribal lands are often appropriated for infrastructure and industrial projects. He accused the BJP of opposing the legacies of social reformers and tribal icons such as Birsa Munda, while framing his advocacy for tribal rights as aligned with India’s constitutional and historical commitments to marginalized communities.

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