New Delhi, Aug. 9: Tribal members spoke of " Jal, Jungle, Zameen" in Parliament today on the occasion of the International Day of the World's Indigenous People.

During Zero Hour, the Speaker decided to give tribal MPs priority and they spoke of the need for preservation of their culture, the violation of their rights, their displacement and illiteracy.

Many lamented that the United Nations' declaration of August 9 as the day dedicated to the indigenous people had remained on paper and that no government had created awareness about the conservation of tribal culture that was irrevocably entwined with their water, forest and land.

The Trinamul MP from Alipurduar, Dasrath Tirkey, said the tribal population was subjected to atrocities, neglect and displacement despite the Supreme Court identifying them as "first citizens".

The JMM member from Rajmahal in Jharkhand, Vijay Kumar Hansdak, alleged that even the tribal census was not done properly.

Harishchandra Chavan of the BJP from Dindori in Maharashtra talked of "fake" tribals encroaching on reserved seats in educational institutions and government jobs. "Over a lakh fake tribals had grabbed our jobs till 1995," he said, alleging that "undeserving" communities were seeking tribal identity and people were getting fake certificates made.

Jhabua MP Kantilal Bhuria, who had been a Union minister and president of the Madhya Pradesh Congress, highlighted a gaffe in a BJP poster for the Prime Minister's meeting in Madhya Pradesh today that talked of "eradication" of tribals.

Displaying a photocopy of the poster, Bhuria said: "This says PM aaj Adivasiyon ka unmulan karenge." Unmulan in Hindi means eradication. Bhuria was joined by other Congress members who kicked up a ruckus. Bhuria said: "...the BJP has insulted and threatened the community." Home minister Rajnath Singh promised action.

Another tribal member, Heena Gavit of Maharashtra, said: "The literacy rate of the country is 74 per cent but it is 59 per cent among tribals. In Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal and Odisha, there is a gap of 18-26 per cent in literacy rates between them and the general population. Over 48 per cent of tribal mothers are undernourished. Every second tribal child has stunted growth. About 29 per cent tribal children are in the severely stunted category."

Demanding a re-evaluation of welfare schemes and a time-bound targeted programme, Gavit further said: "According to a 2012 Planning Commission report, 45.3 per cent per cent tribals living in rural areas belong to below the poverty line. For the general population, it is 21.7 per cent. In urban areas, 24 per cent tribals belong to below the poverty line whereas 13.7 per cent of the general population are in this category."