Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi Friday pledged support to the tribal people of Jharkhand, saying he would stand with them and fight their battles with them.

Gandhi pledged his support to empowering the tribal people of Jharkhand, especially women.

Holding an open discussion with tribal women who had come to the capital from all over the state, Gandhi patiently listened to their concerns and sought suggestions from them, said a party statement.

“Adivasi (tribal) women must be empowered, I want to fight your fight with you and solve your problems” said Gandhi. He added that education, health and political empowerment were necessary to empower tribal women.

He reiterated that panchayats need to be further strengthened and that he is committed towards increasing participation of women in politics. “I can see a number of women here who can be leaders, MLAs and MPs … the tribal people in India have evolved thinking,” he said.

The Congress vice president has been engaging with various tribal groups from across the country. Recently, Gandhi had urged the union cabinet to accept the recommendations of the Balkrishna Renke Commission(2008) and the National Advisory Council (NAC) on empowering the Denotified and Nomadic Tribes (DNTs) in the country, the statement said.

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