Former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel accused the BJP government of neglecting tribal interests and alleged that tribal communities are being deprived of their traditional rights over water, forests and land.
Raipur : The Congress in Chhattisgarh has intensified its attack on the BJP-led state government over issues concerning tribal rights, education, governance and the functioning of the administration. The allegations were raised during a state-level meeting of the Tribal Congress, where senior party leaders discussed strengthening the organisation and formulating a strategy to raise tribal issues from the streets to the Assembly.
Former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel accused the BJP of using the presence of a tribal Chief Minister as a political cover while allegedly pursuing policies that, according to him, harm the interests of tribal communities.
Baghel alleged that tribal people in the state are facing threats to their traditional rights over water, forests and land, while their customs and cultural identity are also being affected. He said the Congress would continue to raise these issues before the public and fight for the protection of tribal interests.
Congress Holds State-Level Tribal Congress Meeting
The state-level meeting of the Tribal Congress was attended by Tribal Congress national president Dr. Vikrant Bhuria, former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee president Deepak Baij and several senior Congress leaders.
The meeting focused on strengthening the organisation at the grassroots level and developing a coordinated strategy to raise issues affecting tribal communities.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, Baghel alleged that the BJP government was not adequately protecting tribal rights and claimed that the traditional relationship of tribal communities with their land and natural resources was being weakened.
Baghel Targets BJP Over Tribal Chief Minister
Baghel launched a sharp political attack on the BJP, alleging that the party was attempting to use a tribal Chief Minister as a political shield while pursuing policies that could adversely affect Chhattisgarh.
He said the Congress would continue to raise tribal concerns both inside and outside the Assembly.
“The Congress will continue to fight for the protection of tribal interests and place the government’s policies before the people,” Baghel said.
The allegations are part of the Congress’s broader political criticism of the BJP government. The BJP’s response to these specific allegations was not included in the material provided.
Congress Highlights Performance on Reserved Tribal Seats
Baghel also defended the Congress’s performance in tribal-reserved constituencies and disputed the perception that the party had suffered a complete setback among tribal voters.
According to his claims, Congress won 11 seats reserved for Scheduled Tribes. He further pointed to several constituencies where the party allegedly lost by narrow margins.
Baghel cited Kanker, where he said Congress lost by only around 18 votes, Pathalgaon, where the margin was around 250 votes, and Tanakhar, where the difference was also relatively small.
He argued that when these narrow-margin contests are taken into account, Congress’s position among tribal voters should not be viewed simply through the number of seats won.
He further claimed that across the 28 seats reserved for tribal communities, Congress lost several constituencies by margins of only a few hundred votes.
Baghel Questions BJP’s Internal Coordination
The former Chief Minister also targeted the BJP over its ongoing organisational meetings.
Baghel alleged that coordination between the government and the BJP organisation had weakened and claimed that differences were emerging among leaders and ministers.
He referred to BJP leaders Brijmohan Agrawal and Vijay Baghel while alleging that complaints and differences were continuing to surface.
Baghel also alleged a lack of coordination among ministers and described the state government as being in a difficult situation politically.
Education System Also Comes Under Attack
Education was another major issue raised by Baghel.
He alleged that protests and administrative problems were affecting education in the state. According to him, students in some schools were allegedly not receiving uniforms, textbooks and notebooks on time.
Baghel also criticised what he described as frequent government orders affecting the education system.
The former Chief Minister argued that the government should focus on ensuring that basic educational requirements reach students on time rather than creating administrative uncertainty.
Allegations Over Teacher Transfers
Baghel also levelled serious allegations against the state’s Education Department regarding teacher transfers.
He alleged that the transfer process had effectively become an “industry” and claimed that thousands of teachers were waiting for transfer orders.
According to Baghel, only a small number of transfer orders were being issued on a regular basis.
He further alleged that teachers who could exert influence or provide benefits were getting their orders processed, while others continued to wait.
“Those who make the required offerings get their orders issued, while the remaining teachers continue to wait,” Baghel alleged.
These are political allegations made by the former Chief Minister, and no independent evidence or response from the state government was included in the information provided.
Congress Passes Resolution Condemning Sai Government
The meeting of the Tribal Congress Executive Committee and Tribal Advisory Council also saw the passage of a resolution condemning the BJP government.
The resolution was moved by PCC president Deepak Baij and was reportedly passed unanimously.
The immediate issue highlighted by Congress was the alleged absence of a government-sponsored programme in Chhattisgarh to mark World Tribal Day.
Congress leaders argued that World Tribal Day is not an event belonging to any particular political party but an international occasion to recognise the identity, culture, heritage and rights of indigenous and tribal communities.
The party alleged that the absence of official programmes and what it described as a lack of greetings from the Chief Minister, ministers, MLAs and ruling-party leaders demonstrated insensitivity towards the state’s large tribal population.
Congress Raises Water, Forest and Land Rights
The resolution also raised broader concerns regarding tribal rights.
Congress alleged that government policies were weakening the traditional rights of tribal communities over Jal, Jungle and Zameen — water, forests and land.
The party also raised concerns regarding:
- Implementation of the Forest Rights Act
- Effective implementation of the PESA Act
- Protection of tribal land and natural resources
- Preservation of tribal culture and identity
- Greater political and administrative representation for tribal communities
- Strengthening of tribal organisations at the grassroots level
Congress leaders said a larger organisational movement could be launched on these issues.
Baghel Alleges Influence of BJP-RSS Ideology
The condemnation resolution also alleged that the BJP government’s approach towards tribal communities reflected the influence of the ideology of the BJP and RSS.
Congress claimed that the government’s policies were adversely affecting traditional tribal rights and cultural identity.
The party said it would use organisational platforms to intensify its campaign on tribal rights, forest rights, PESA implementation and protection of natural resources.
Political Battle Over Tribal Issues Intensifies
The developments indicate that tribal rights are likely to remain an important political issue in Chhattisgarh.
The Congress is seeking to put the BJP government under pressure on several fronts simultaneously—tribal rights, Jal-Jungle-Zameen, World Tribal Day, education, teacher transfers and coordination within the government and BJP organisation.
Baghel’s remarks also represent a broader political effort by the Congress to challenge the BJP’s narrative on tribal welfare and governance.
With Congress announcing plans to continue raising these issues at both the organisational and political levels, the BJP government’s response to the allegations will be closely watched.
Key Takeaway: The Tribal Congress meeting has provided Congress with a platform to intensify its criticism of the Chhattisgarh government. While Bhupesh Baghel made strong allegations concerning tribal rights, education and teacher transfers, these remain political claims unless independently established. The BJP government’s response and any documentary evidence regarding the allegations will be important in assessing the claims.
