Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday called upon everyone to rise above the differences of caste, creed, religion and race to protect the rights of the indigenous people.
Banerjee said tribals in ethnic strife-hit Manipur are facing a crisis and there is none to listen to their plight.
In an apparent dig at the BJP government, she said: “The tribals in Manipur are facing a crisis. There is none to listen to their plight. Dalits are tortured in India and the Centre is unmoved, unfased. They have no right to be in power as they have tortured Dalits. People are being killed in encounters. They are planning to break the country into pieces through planned communal riots.”
Wishing people on the occasion of ‘International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples’, Banerjee said indigenous peoples’ rights must be protected for the sake of humanity.
“On this International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, let’s celebrate their vibrant traditions, art, and heritage that enrich our state’s identity. Let’s pledge to walk alongside our Adivasi brethren,” Banerjee tweeted.
“May the people of this state, this nation, and the world at large rise above differences of caste, creed, religion and race to uphold and protect the rights of indigenous peoples, because this isn’t just about one community; it’s about humanity,” she added.
She added that the “cultural tapestry of Bengal is woven with threads from diverse indigenous communities”.
Banerjee is on a three-day administrative tour to Jhargram district, which is mostly inhabited by indigenous people.
Soon after reaching the western district on Tuesday, she held a meeting with leaders of the Kurmi community, who have been demanding ST status.
She listened to their problems and demands and assured them of all assistance.
The ‘International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples’ is celebrated on August 9 to raise awareness of the inequities faced by people of such communities in over 90 countries across the world.
According to United Nations, indigenous communities, people and nations are those which, having a historical continuity with pre-invasion and pre-colonial societies that developed on their territories, consider themselves distinct from other sectors of the societies now prevailing on those territories, or parts of them.