As the demands are being raised for the recognition of Asia’s biggest Tribal Fair ‘Medaram’ as ‘National Festival’, few political parties have begun moves to claim its credit if the central government responds positively on the proposal.
The tribal fair is observed once in every two years and more than one crore people visit Medaram during the event from seven states including Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh.
The Bharatiya Janata Party, which did not consider the demand earlier, is focusing on it as the NDA government is about to announce the fair as National Festival. Leaders of BJP from Telangana are frequently visiting union ministers in Delhi on the issue and utilizing every development on the proposal to claim their credit. “We have been visiting ministers and our government will announce the recognition due to our serious efforts,” a leader from BJP said.
TRS is also focusing on the matter and it will claim that the party’s pressure on central lead to the positive announcement. Endowment minister of TS A.Indrakaran Reddy has already called on Union Tribal Welfare Minister Jual Oram and submitted a representation on ‘Medaram’. Soon after the meeting, in the way of claiming credit, the Union Minister along with state BJP leaders held a press conference and informed the media that it would announce Medaram as National Festival soon and said that the fair might get recognition of UNICEF Heritage with the initiations of the central government.
Following the competition between TRS and BJP on ‘credit’ issue, Congress leaders have also started their politics on Medaram Fair. “We are inviting our chief Mr. Rahul Gandhi to the fair. He responded positively on the invitation. He may deliver a speech on tribal issues in the country at the event,” a source from Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee said. The Congress is on the way to attract tribal voters for upcoming 2019 general elections by utilizing the fair as a dais.
