The logo of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
Credit: X/@RSSorg
New Delhi: The "Vanvasi" traditions have a "deep root" alongside the "Sanatani" traditions, the chief of Akhil Bharatiya Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, the RSS-affiliated tribal body, Satyendra Singh said at a function in poll-bound Haryana on Sunday. He said that tribal communities should create their own narratives.
Singh was speaking at a three-day workers' meet in the presence of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and others at Samalkha.
"All of us have our roots in the forests. The Vanvasi (forest-based) society has also played an important role in creating the ancient Vedas. The festivals and worship methods of all the tribal societies are similar to the Sanatani tradition," Singh said, adding that the differentiation between tribal communities and others was a "gift" from the British.
The RSS and the BJP's nomenclature for tribal communities — Vanvasi — has been criticised by the Opposition with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accusing the Sangh of relegating them to being just forest-dwellers instead of 'Aadivasi' (first dwellers).
More than 2,000 representatives congregated for the triennial event, including leaders from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Nepal and Nagaland.
Among the attendees was Rajkishore Hansda from poll-bound Jharkhand's Santhal Pargana region, who spoke about "love jihad" and "land jihad" in tribal areas.
Thumbai Zeliang from Nagaland spoke about conversions of tribals to Christianity.
Ramnath Kashyap from Chhattisgarh spoke about Maoism in the Bastar region where he said the fundamental rights of the tribal community were being compromised.