Dated, ICITP-NEZ, Guwahati, the 23 rd of June 2007

Subject: Appeal for choosing candidate for Vice President of India from Tribal Communities.

Dear Madam,

Greetings! Nomoskar! Congratulation for nominating Ms.Pratibha Patil for the 12th Presidential Election as your UPA-Left alliance candidate. This is a historic event in India.

Mean while I would like to draw your urgent attention to the following fact:

These few days we have been observing that all Indian political leaders including yourself were busy looking for the 12th presidential candidate. Within the period of sixty years of independent India three terms went to the Muslim minority, one to Sikh minority and one to the Scheduled Caste (S.C.) But unfortunately the people in India could never found President, Vice President or Prime Minister from the weaker section of the society particularly the Indigenous and Tribal Peoples of the country. The weaker section of the society in India had been neglected and deprived for so long though they had been contributing equally in the Nation building. Under these circumstances, the following questions arise.

1 Are the Indigenous and the Tribal Peoples of India second class citizen?

2 Does the privileged society still think that the Indigenous and Tribal Peoples are not capable of holding the said post? or

3. Is it because Indigenous and Tribal Peoples do not have any national political affiliation to facilitate or lobby for this process?

The political parties and the politicians in India must rethink to give a chance to the capable personalities belonging to the weaker section of the Indian Society, who are equally competent with the privileged society for these top posts. The Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in India have been colonized, dominated and exploited, suppressed and oppressed by the privileged society in every respect. Our respected leaders have been talking about the reservation for minorities and underprivileged to win the hearts of the grassroots to buy votes to remain in power. According to the Census Report 2001, the population percentage of the tribal People in India is 8.2%.

The Indian Confederation of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples, the only apex body of the Indigenous and Tribal Peoples of India would like to appeal to all the political parties and political leaders to rethink and reconsider to nominate Vice President from Indigenous and Tribal community to prove your commitments to the Constitution of India that we all are equal.

In this connection, ICITP on behalf of the Indigenous and Tribal Peoples of India would like to appeal your honour to nominate an appropriate Senior Tribal leader like Dr. Ram Dayal Munda, the former Vice Chancellor of the Ranchi University and the topmost dynamic social leader of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples of India or Shri Prithibi Majhi, the Hon’ble Minister of Planning and Development, Labour and Employment and Tea Tribes Development of Assam who is also equally competent and honest raising popular Tribal leader of the country as a consensus candidate to the post of the Vice President of India for this 12th Vice President's election from your UPA – Left alliance. If this is fulfilled, the Indigenous and Tribal Peoples (Adivasis) of India will feel that justices are beginning to be delivered by the privileged society, which will surely assuage the feeling of long neglect and discrimination. Further, this will raise credential of Indian Nation in the eyes of the International Community. For this India needs strong political will and courage and this is only possible if you are taking up the matter.

Looking forward to seeing your exemplarily historic decision in the history of Indian politics and a strong commitment towards the upliftment of weaker section of the people, particularly the Indigenous and Tribal Peoples of the country.

With highest regards,

(Jebra Ram Muchahary)
Chief President of Indian Confederation of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples (ICITP), Guwahati, Assam