Raipur, Oct 31 (PTI) Chhattisgarh will celebrate the ‘National Tribal Dance Festival’ and ‘Rajyotsava 2022’ (statehood celebrations) in the capital Raipur from Tuesday, though an umbrella organisation of 42 Adivasi communities has announced a boycott of the dance event claiming the ruling Congress had failed to protect their reservation rights.
Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel will inaugurate the dance festival and Rajyotsava at 11 am on Tuesday here at Science College ground, while the state award distribution ceremony will be held in the evening with Governor Anusuiya Uikey as the chief guest, a government official said.
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren will be the chief guest of the concluding ceremony of the three-day celebration on Thursday, he added.
As many as 1,500 tribal artists from nine countries, namely Mozambique, Mongolia, Tongo, Russia, Indonesia, Maldives, Serbia, New Zealand and Egypt, and all the states and Union Territories of India will participate in the dance fest, he said.
However, the Chhattisgarh Sarva Adivasi Samaj (CSAS), an umbrella organization of 42 Adivasi communities of the state, has announced a boycott of the dance festival.
CSAS working president BS Rawte said there is anger among tribals across the state after 32 per cent reservations were discontinued last month.
The Chhattisgarh High Court had set aside a 2012 state government order as the overall reservation limit had gone above the 50 per cent ceiling. Following the decision, reservation for tribal communities, which comprise about 32 percent of state population, has declined to 20 per cent from 32 per cent.
“We have decided to boycott the tribal dance fest. We will beat drums for three days in front of residents of MPs, MLAs and state ministers in protest. It has been over a month since the HC order but the state government is yet to approach the Supreme Court. The CM is only giving assurances,” Rawte said.
Incidentally, the Sarve Adivasi Samaj has given an economic blockade call on November 15 in the state demanding restoration of 32 per cent quota, he added.
Chhattisgarh came into existence on November 1, 2000 after the bifurcation of Madhya Pradesh and the day is marked with ‘Rajyotsava’ celebrations. PTI TKP BNM BNM
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