Assembly elections 2023: Why is Rahul Gandhi playing on word 'Vanvasi' to take on BJP, PM Modi

Vibha Sharma

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Chandigarh, October 13

Addressing a public meeting in tribal-dominated Shahdol a couple of days back, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi played on the use of word ‘Adivasi’ to take on the rival BJP. He claimed that BJP’s ideological fountainhead RSS used the word “Vanvasi’ to describe tribal communities only to “restrict the community to the forests”.

Criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi for using the word ‘Vanvasi’ to refer to the tribal community, Gandhi also claimed that it was due to his objection that the PM was now using the word ‘Adivasi’ to describe the community. “Listen to Narendra Modi ji’s speech, he no longer says ‘Vanvasi’, he says ‘Adivasi’ though ‘Adivasi’ comes out of his mouth, ‘Vanvasi’ is in the heart.

“There is a difference between the words ‘Adivasi’ and ‘Vanvasi’. ‘Adivasi’ means those who are the first and rightful owners of this land,” he was quoted as saying in Shardol where Scheduled Tribes account for a sizable population.

‘Adivasi’ versus ‘Vanvasi’

However, this is not the first time Gandhi used the words to corner PM Modi and BJP whose parent organisation RSS runs an organisation called the Akhil Bhartiya Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram.

Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram is an affiliate of the Sangh Parivar like other right-wing organiaations ABVP, Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, etc.

Earlier in Wayanad, Rahul claimed the idea behind calling tribals ‘Vanvasi’ was to restrict them to the jungle. “This is a distortion of your history and your tradition….it is an attack on your relationship with this country,” he told them, calling ‘Adivasi’ original owners of the land “who should be given rights over land, over forests and should be allowed an imagination to do whatever they want”.

Constitution of India

The Constitution uses the term Scheduled Tribes or ‘Anusuchit Janjati’ to describe tribes spread across different states and union territories. Over 700 tribes have been notified under Article 342 of the Indian constitution, according to reports.

Article 366 (25) defined STs as “such tribes or tribal communities or parts of or groups within such tribes or tribal communities as are deemed under Article 342 to be Scheduled Tribes for the purposes of this constitution”

Politics over the word

While ‘Adivasi’ means ‘first inhabitants’, ‘Vanvasi’ implies forest dwellers

‘Vanvasi’ is also the word used by the Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, a social welfare organization, which started from Jashpur (now in Chhattisgarh) and works in tribal areas for welfare activities of members of STs in remote areas and also “to protect them from the clutches of Christian Missionaries”.

According to its website, “Bharat is a land of unique cultural heritage having diversified nature. It is also a land of hundreds of Janjatis or ‘Vanvasis’. Janjatis in our country comprise approximately 10% of total population, spread practically in all the States & Union Territories, except Haryana, Punjab and Delhi.

“With the inspiration from Thakkar Bappa (Gandhian Leader) in the beginning, Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram was established by Mr Ramakant Keshav Deshpande (popularly known as Vanyogi Balasaheb Deshpande), on 26th December 1952 at Jashpur in Madhya Pradesh (presently in Chhatisgarh) by enrolling 13 children of local Janjatis to start a hostel project.

“Encouraged with the success of various projects for the welfare of Janjatis over the period, from 1978, Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram extended its work in every state of India having Janjati population.

“Among all the volunteers of Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, nearly half are from Janjatis. Apart from these, several students, working persons, professionals, retired persons etc are dedicate working for various projects for the Janjatis in the field of education, health, agriculture, economic development, to protect the constitutional rights, sports, spiritual and cultural congregations (Shraddha Jagaran) etc.”

Meanwhile, BJP leaders say that tribals living in forests are called ‘Vanvasis’ because the word ‘Adivasi’ implies original inhabitants or aboriginals. In that case, it would mean that all other communities are from outside while RSS believes that everyone who lives in India it the original inhabitant of the continent.

Tribals and Assembly elections 2023

The fact is tribals are a key vote constituent in all the five poll-bound states and it makes political sense to be in their favour.

For example, in Madhya Pradesh they form a sizeable part of its population and enjoy electoral clout that comes with the figure—21.1 % of the population according to the 2011 census. There are 46 recognised STs of which Bhil, Gond, Kol, Kurku, Sahariya, and Baiga account for more than 90 % of the 1.53 crore tribal population in MP, according to reports

In Chhattisgarh, the tribal community comprises around 30% of total population concentrated mostly in Bastar and Surguja regions

In Rajasthan, STs are around 13.48% of the population

According to an official website, ST population in Telengana accounts for 9.34 % of the population as per 2011 census, which is significantly higher compared to the percentage of 6.99 STs in the combined State of AP.

Interestingly, as per the 2011 census, Mizoram had 1,036,115 people, which is nearly 95% of total population, classified as STs.