Jaipur: Chief minister Ashok Gehlot said the leaders from tribal areas played a vital role in the freedom movement and creating social awakening against the foreign rule. He said the people of the state are proud of their glorious history and contribution to the national cause.
He said the government will make all efforts to showcase the sacrifice and heroic deeds of the tribal people and to bring development to the area. Gehlot was speaking after unveiling the statue of Raja Banshia Bhil in Banswara in a virtual function on Thursday.
He said hundreds of tribals gathered at Mangarh Dham under Govind Guru during freedom movement and sacrificed their lives for the national cause which could never be forgotten. Contributions of Mavji Maharaj, Nanabhai Khant, Kalibai, Mama Dameshwar Dayal, Bhikha Bai Bhil, Haridev Joshi, Haribahu Upadhyaya would be remembered by people with pride.
Gehlot said whenever Congress government came to power, decisions were taken keeping in mind the interest of the tribal community. He said that is the reason the tribals achieved new milestones in education, health, power, road, medical and other areas of development. He said Banswara engineering college, Govind Guru tribal university, Dungarpur medical college are examples. He said the government is committed to the advancement of education and employment among the tribal youth. He said tribal people had a special place in the heart of first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to Rajiv Gandhi and they had taken several initiatives for their upliftment.
He said, “Tribal districts got the most benefit of schemes like MGNREGA, schemes that were made in UPA era.” He said the area had benefited from expansion of irrigation projects immensely. He expressed disappointment that the Dungarpur-Banswara-Ratlam rail project is now put on back burner by the Modi government which has deprived the area of the benefit of rail service.