Cardinal bats for equal rights to natives and outsiders

RANCHI: Domicile policy has been a controversial issue since the formation of the state in 2000 and continues to remain the main point of conflict between the tribals and non-tribals.
While one faction of the policy is claimed to be for the original inhabitants of the state, the other faction also settled here for ages have contested the theory.
Cardinal Telespore P Toppo, however, holds a lenient view on the matter.Speaking exclusively to ToI, he said, "People keep talking about the domicile issue, it does not mean that outsiders are not original inhabitants of the state. The policy should be such that both insiders and outsiders feel at home here and they must be able to contribute to the development of the state."
He added that the state lacks a vision for growth due to instability in governance for a long period of time. People of the state have to be conscious about their rights and duties.
Sharing his views on local identity, Cardinal said, "People who had fought for a separate state have been ignored by various governments. Their sentiments were not respected so far. Any kind of bias in the journey of development is not good. I would urge the government to draft a policy in such a way that not only the original inhabitants, but also the people who settled here from outside, enjoy the benefits of a local inhabitant. There should be equal opportunities for all ."