Speaking at a rally of tribals organised by the Kisan Sabha, its president and MP S R Pillai blamed the religious forces for misleading the tribals to promote their religions and ignoring the welfare of the natives. He said that the only solution was creation of autonomous tribal councils in the tribal belt of Maharashtra.

Pillai said that his organisation had, earlier this month, decided to hold State-level tribal rallies in all the States and then organise a national convention on the issues concerning tribals. He said that his organisation was the biggest peasants' body in the country having amembership of about 1.28 crore.

Pillai alleged that while on the one hand tribals were being misused by religious forces, on the other hand they were being exploited by government officials, especially forest officials. He also pointed out that tribals were being displaced from their land without rehabilitation and the benefits of dams created in tribal areas were going to non-tribals elsewhere.

Speakers like Ashok Dhavale (joint secretary of the Maharashtra Kisan Sabha), J P Gavit (former MLA from Surgana constituency, which includes Peth) and Lahanu Kom (former MP and MLA from Dahanu) lambasted Hindus and Christians for dividing tribals on religious lines and called for unity among the natives to fight for their rights by demanding autonomous councils.

Maharashtra Kisan Sabha president Narandra Malusare announced that they will take a morcha of tribals to the Nashik district collectorate on May 18 to demand autonomous tribal councils.

Speakers at the rally called for unity among tribals urgingthem not to fall prey to the designs of religious forces, who were not concerned with their welfare.