PNS|Hyderabad
Minister Seetakka lashed out at the Centre, accusing it of ‘orchestrating’ a systemic attack on the lives and rights of Adivasis in mineral-rich forest regions.
Speaking at a public programme, Seetakka didn’t mince words in highlighting what she called an alarming pattern of exploitation and violence targeting indigenous populations.
“Wherever there is forest and mineral wealth, there is a growing threat to Adivasi lives. That’s no coincidence. It’s a deliberate act,” she said, pointing to the Centre’s increasing interest in tribal regions.
According to her, these areas are being eyed not for development, but for their commercial potential, with corporate entities being handed control over forests without the consent of local gram sabhas.
Seetakka alleged that under the guise of controlling extremism, ‘innocent’ tribals are being ‘branded’ as Naxalites, jailed, displaced and even killed.
“The Centre is burning our people like they burn birds after a hunt. Their bodies are not even returned to their families. It is inhuman,” she said, calling it a direct assault on constitutional protections.
Slamming the Modi Government, she accused it of ‘violating’ the Fifth and Sixth Schedules of the Constitution that grant special rights to tribal regions. “The Centre is not just ignoring these rights, it is actively tearing them apart,” she stated.
She warned that corporate takeovers of forest land without community approval are growing and likened the situation in Central India to a war zone where the Indian State is waging an undeclared battle against its citizens. “From Bastar to Adilabad, the same pattern repeats: Push tribals out, privatise the forests, and brand protestors as anti-national,” she added.
Seetakka accused the government of attempting to ‘replace’ the Constitution with Manusmriti. “They want to erase Ambedkar’s vision and replace it with an ‘oppressive’ order. It’s a conspiracy to strip Adivasis of their dignity, land, and identity,” she declared.
She also criticised the cultural stereotyping of tribal women, calling out how mythological figures like Tataki, Shabari and Surpanakha are portrayed as demons.
“Why are Adivasi women always shown as monsters? It is time we tell our own stories and rewrite history from our perspective,” she said.
Concluding her speech, Seetakka called for a united front among all marginalised communities. “We must rise under the banner of ‘Save Adivasi.’ This is not just a tribal issue. It’s a constitutional battle. It’s a fight for our future,” she said.
