Armed with Facebook, Madhya Pradesh tribal youths root for educated candidates, Madhya Pradesh, Fcaebook, shivraj singh Chaouhan, MP CM, MP BJP, Youth, MP News.

Armed with Facebook, Madhya Pradesh tribal youths root for educated candidates.

INDORE: Cut off for years of neglect, a group of educated and tech-savvy tribal youths have taken to social media in a big way to trigger a change at the hustings. Unshackled by considerations of winnability, they are trying hard to set an agenda for the larger good of their lot.

Disgusted with the present crop of politicians for their failure to highlight issues related to tribals, educated youths have put social networking sites to good use - campaigning for educated candidates from tribal areas. And yes, the social sites are proving a potent tool.

Incidentally, it is the same group, which had organized "Facebook Adivasi Yuva Sakti Millan Samaroh" at Barwani in May this year. Then, thousands of tribals from across the country gathered there to discuss pressing issues and chalk out an action plan.

Five months later, taking it to the next level, they have started a campaign on social networking sites to demand fielding of deserving educated candidates in the state going to assembly polls next month. They realize the importance of numerical strength in a state where tribals constitute 22 per cent of population and 47 out of 230 assembly constituencies are reserved for them.

They know well, political parties give ticket to tribal not as a favour but of sheer compulsion Dr Hiralal Alawa, senior resident doctor at neurology department of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), is the man who conceptualized and kick-started the drive. Till now, they have managed to get response from nearly 8,000 educated tribal youth and every day they receive 30 to 40 requests on social networking site.

Hiralal, who hails from tribal district of Barwani, said after holding discussion with educated tribal youths and analysing the ground situation, they have realized that tickets for assembly and parliamentary election were given to illiterate tribal or candidates, who were ignorant of real problems confronting them.

"Despite having so many tribal MLAs and MPs, genuine issues were never raised. If you see the number of question asked by these tribal leaders in assembly and Parliament, the number is almost nil," Hiraal said, adding educated tribal youth should be given political representation in the election so that they can raise issues related to them at the highest level.

Hiralal said internet and social networking site, in particular, has changed the scenario. Today, most of educated tribal youth are using mobile and internet and it has provided us an opportunity to come together by using social networking site.

Laxman Maravi, 35, who is working after doing ITI and a resident of Mandla district, said candidates for assembly election should be local, aware of local problem and should be educated. "Even six decades after the independence, tribal areas have not seen light of development. My village is 97km from district headquarters and we have to travel 20km to reach road," Maravi said. Like Hirala, he strongly feels tribals' problem could be solved by educated representatives.

Anil Gond, 29-year-old said since the independence tribals have been losers and have gained nothing. They have to struggle for small things. "Our anger is against the system and not directed at any particular party. Now, we want to change all that.

Education is important for uplift so we want that our candidate should be educated who understands the importance of quality education," Gond, a science graduate from the Anuppur, said, adding a large number of tribals are still deprived of quality education.

source:TOI

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