The Janadhipathya Rashtriya Sabha (JRS), led by tribal leader C K Janu, on Sunday quit the NDA in Kerala. It has been an NDA ally since early 2016.
After the party state executive meeting in Kozhikode, Janu told media persons that the BJP has betrayed the JRS over the last two-and-a-half years. Janu said her party had allied with the BJP, despite protests from Dalits and tribals in Kerala. “There is growing resentment among our workers against the BJP. Due to our alliance with the BJP, a public perception had been created that JRS had joined hands with the Sangh Parivar,” she said.
She is also the leader of Adivasi Gothra Maha Sabha, a social movement that has been agitating since 2001 for redistribution of land to the landless tribal people in Kerala. The movement has positioned itself under the aegis of the Dalit-Adivasi Action Council. In 2016, the Janathipahya Rashtriya Sabha, contested Kerala assembly polls in alliance with BJP, as a part of NDA.
“We have decided to sever ties with the BJP because they have failed to keep their promises. We are ready for discussions with the Congress and CPM on the future of the party’s alliance,” she said.
She also said the Union government has failed to declare tribal areas in Kerala as Scheduled areas under Section 244 of the Constitution and that the state government has not implemented the Forest Rights Act. “Both issues were brought to the attention of the BJP national leadership. But, they did not act,” she said.
Janu said the BJP also did not give her party any representation in governing bodies of public sector boards and corporations.
Even though she had carried out discussions with Amit Shah four times, it was of no use.
She declared the party’s willingness to work along with any political party which will take up tribal issues. She strongly opposed violent demonstrations on the street against court order allowing women’s entry in Sabarimala temple.
