It is the responsibility of youth in the country to safeguard the freedom of the people. Some people were trying hard to restrict the freedom of the people which was achieved after a great struggle against the British and many sacrifices, AICC general secretary and former Chief Minister of Kerala Oommen Chandy, said here on Thursday.
Mahatma’s campaign
Mr. Chandy who was the chief guest at a programme organised to celebrate the anniversary of the Quit India Movement at Andhra Ratna Bhavan here, said that Mahatma Gandhi launched the movement 76 years ago as a “last warning” to the British. Many Indians made huge sacrifices to get freedom for the country, but some powerful people were trying to undermine the secular and democratic fabric of the nation.
On International Day of the World’s Indigenous People, Congress workers should tell the people about the Scheduled Tribes and other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act passed by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government under the leadership of Manmohan Singh. This Act clearly stipulated the rights of the Scheduled Tribes, Mr. Chandy said.
Under Congress Rule, the current PCC president, N Raghuveera Reddy, who was the Revenue Minister entrusted 12 lakh acres to the STs in undivided Andhra Pradesh under the provisions of the Central Act, Mr. Chandy said. Only the Congress would take up such a task, Mr. Chandy said.
Mr. Raghuveera Reddy said the governments that took over from the Congress were as not really bothered about the welfare of the tribal people. The Congress was however completely committed to the welfare of the tribal and indigenous people.
