Margherita: Adivasis rally behind 'most qualified' candidate Ignitius Ekka
- Mar 25, 2021,
- Updated Mar 25, 2021, 12:48 AM IST
MARGHERITA: This time, tea tribe and Adivasi voters of the 124 number Margherita constituency have decided to cast their valuable votes only to the independent Adivasi candidate Ignitius Ekka, an elderly woman told this reporter at the awareness programme held by All Adivasi Students Association of Assam (AASAA) Pengree, Bordumsa, Phillobari, and Margherita regional committee in collaboration with AASAA Tinsukia district committee the Ranchi line Pengree Tea estate yesterday.
Ignitius Ekka is the most educated candidate among all who are in the fray to contest Assembly polls and yesterday's awareness program -- attended by around 5,000 people -- was held with the purpose of drumming up support for him ahead of the polling date.
"Not a single vote shall be given to Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), or any other political parties," the rally attendee added.
AASAA central executive committee president Pradip Nag, making a virtual address, said that the Adivasi community of Assam has always been cheated, exploited and deprived, and treated as slaves in the name of development by both central and state governments since independence.
“But now the time has changed. Adivasi boys and girls are now educated and can compete everywhere, therefore, no political parties can cheat us,” he said.
ALSO READ: Cheques, passbook of 8 banks to be invalid from April 1
There are a total of 52,000 tea tribe and Adivasi voters out of 1,95,000 electors in that particular constituency, who play a pivotal role in electing the MLA.
“This time, all our votes shall be cast for Ignatius Ekka," said AASAA Margherita regional committee Jarnel Minz.
Pulin Gohain, a noted social worker, said that Adivasi community people in the state are remembered only during election time. "Otherwise, no government has brought a permanent solution to issues such as daily wages, ST status, land documents, and Adivasi satellite council in every district of Assam."
Aidom Gam Singpho, a noted social worker of Ulup said that the Adivasi community people of the state are the backbone of Assam, hence, without them, the state cannot prosper and develop. The government should immediately fulfill their long-pending demands, he added.