Salient points in the speech by
Shri L.K. Advani
(Leader of the Opposition, Lok Sabha)

At the Vijay Sankalp Rally in Dumka

Jharkhand – 23 September 2008

I am highly pleased to be in Dumka, which is one of the oldest districts of Jharkhand state under Santhal Pargana. Everything about Santhal Paragana is rich — rich forests, rich farm land, rich folk tales and rich history of patriotism.

At the outset, I pay my respectful tribute to the sacred memory of Bhagwan Birsa Munda. He is worshipped by the people here as "Dharti Abba" and "Birsa Bhagwan". He represents the cultural identity of Jharkhand. His clarion call "Maharani Raj tundu jana odo: Abua Raj ete jana" inspired every adivasi in Santhal Pargana to rise in revolt against British Raj. He was a staunch protagonist of Adivasi rights, and a pioneer in mobilising women in the freedom movement.

It was on the birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda on 15th November 2000 that Jharkhand was carved out as a separate state, as the 28th state of the Indian Union. Separate statehood for Jharkhand was a longstanding demand, born out of an unfulfilled dream, of the people of this region. The NDA Government of Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee fulfilled this dream.

I feel privileged that, as the Home Minister in Shri Atalji’s Government, it was my duty to pilot the legislative and consultative process for the formation of three new states – Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand. I had come to Ranchi on the day your state was born.

I also pay my respectful tribute to SIDDHU and KANHU, the two great patriotic warriors of Santhal Pargana. The two brothers waged struggle against the British oppression and exploitation. Their struggle indeed preceded the great Indian War of Independence of 1857. In July 1855, Siddhu and Kanhu defeated a British contingent of forces, which was sent to crush their revolt. They were arrested and in 1856, the British government executed them.

The land of Jharkhand has been made sacred by the martyrdom of many such patriotic heroes, many of them belonging to the various Adivasi communities. We must remember with gratitude the sacrifices made by TILKA MANJHI, BUDDHU BHAGAT, GANGA NARAIN SINGH, THAKUR VISHWANATH SAHDEO, SHEIKH BHIKHARI, NILAMBER-PITAMBER BROTHERS and many others.

There has been a tendency in India in recent decades to create an impression that all the struggles and all the sacrifices in the pre- and post-Independence period were made by members of only one family – the Nehru-Gandhi family. Countless national institutions and schemes of the central and state governments are named after them. Tell me how many national institutions or national programmes bear the name of Bhagwan Birsa Munda?

Indeed, it was the NDA Government that unveiled the statue of Bhagwan Birsa Munda in the precincts of Parliament House in New Delhi in August 1998. Why didn’t the Congress Governments honour him in New Delhi before?

I wish to declare today that if the NDA Government is elected to power, we shall name some important national institutions and progammes after less-honoured Adivasi patriotic heroes such as Bhagwan Birsa Munda.

Why Vijay Sankalp Rally

Sisters and brothers, I have come here to participate in a rally, which my party has named as ‘VIJAY SANKALP RALLY’. Vijay for whom?

Vijay for me? No.

Vijay for my party? No.

It is Vijay for the People of Jharkhand and for the People of India.

Today the people of your State and the people of India are deeply disappointed by the performance of those who are ruling in Ranchi and in New Delhi.

As far as Ranchi is concerned, you had given the mandate in favour of the BJP and its allies in the last Assembly elections. But our adversaries conspired to destabilize our Government with the active connivance of the Governor. The ugly drama that went on in Raj Bhavan is well known to you.

They subsequently crowned an Independent MLA as the Chief Minister of Jharkhand. Never in our country has this happened. How that Government functioned, and how much attention it paid to the state’s development and people’s welfare, is also well known to you.

Two months ago, even that Chief Minister was replaced in a Saude Baazi that took place in New Delhi. I have nothing to say about the current Chief Minister. It is for you to judge his and his Government’s performance in the State.

But I certainly have something to say about the “Deal within the Nuclear Deal” that went on in New Delhi prior to the Trust Vote in July. Opposition MPs were purchased by paying them Rs. 25-30 crore rupees in order to covert a minority Government into a majority Government. Three of our MPs exposed this “Cash-for-Votes” scandal inside the House.

The people of Jharkhand well remember what had happened during a no-confidence vote against the Congress Government of the late P.V. Narasimha Rao. But what the Congress-led Government of Dr. Manmohan Singh and Smt. Sonia Gandhi did 14 years later was hundred times worse.

They committed a crime against Parliament.

How can a Government tainted by corruption and criminalization serve the nation and promote the welfare of the people?

UPA Govt’s abysmal performance

If you look at the performance card of the UPA Government, what do you see?

Who is responsible for this criminal neglect? Is this what patriots like Bhagwan Birsa Munda, Sidhu and Kanha had visualized would be the reality even six decades after India’s Independence? They fought for justice and human dignity. But where is justice and human dignity for Adivasis under the UPA rule?

NDA’s promise: Special Development Agenda for Tribals

You will recall that for the first time in independent India’s history, Shri Vajpayeeji’s Government created a separate ministry for Tribal Affairs. We also created a separate National Commission for Scheduled Tribes.

I assure you that if the NDA is elected to power, we shall unveil a Special Development Agenda for Tribals. The prime focus of this agenda will be education, healthcare and betterment of livelihood.

I believe that tribals are the best protectors of "Jal, Jungle and Jantu". We shall make tribals proud partners in sustainable development coupled with preservation of our precious natural resources.

Dear Sisters and Brothers, I have a word for the youth of Jharkhand. The young men and women of Jharkhand are second to none. Whenever they have got an opportunity, they have shown their mettle.

All of India is proud of Mahendra Singh Dhoni who is from your state. Few cricketers have achieved as much as he has in such a short time.

But I sometimes wonder, how many Mahendra Singh Dhonis are still hidden among the youth of Jharkhand – in the fields of sports, arts, trade, business, education, science and technology, and social service.

There are many talented sportsmen among Adivasis in Jharkhand. They are especially good in traditional sports such as archery. With proper encouragement, they can do well even in international competitions bring Olympic medals for India, as our sportsmen from Punjab and Haryana did recently in Beijing.

The NDA is committed to creating an atmosphere in which the latent talent of young Indians can blossom.

Today’s young Indians are looking for honest Government which is wedded to the principles of Good Governance. They are looking for integrity among leaders. I promise you that we shall not be found wanting in meeting these expectations of Young India.

I look forward to visiting Jharkhand again. But today, at this Vijay Sankalp Rally, I have only one appeal to make: Get ready to throw out the UPA Government at the Centre, and to bring back the NDA Government with a decisive mandate.

In the last Lok Sabha elections, the BJP did not fare well in your state. We committed certain mistakes, for which we paid a heavy price in Jharkhand. We have rectified the mistakes. We seek your blessings whenever the elections are held.

Thank you.