Narikuravas seek inclusion in ST list
ST status should be given also to other communities such as Kurumans, Kuravars and Malayalis in Erode, Jaishankar said
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2015-12-01 06:27 GMT
Chennai: With their long pending demand for ST status remaining unfulfilled, members of the Narikuravan community called on leaders of various political parties, including Congress, BJP, AIADMK, DMK and CPI (M) seeking their help to introduce the bill to include their community in the ST list in the current session of Parliament. The long wait for ST status for Narikuravan or Narikuravar or Kuruvikaran or Kuruvikarar community continued unabated despite the Union Cabinet giving its nod in 2013 and subsequently introducing the bill in this regard in Lok Sabha. The bill for inclusion of Narikuravan community in ST list was introduced in Parliament on December 17, 2013, but lapsed following dissolution of the 15th Lok Sabha, said M. Jaishankar, state co-ordinator, TN Narikkuravar Kurivikaran Welfare Federation.
The ministry of tribal affairs has written to the state government on the demand for including Narikuravan community in the ST list after approval of new criteria and procedure for inclusion of communities as ST under Article 342 of the Constitution.
“We want Tamil Nadu MPs to pressurise the Centre to give cabinet approval once again and reintroduce the bill in the ongoing winter session of Parliament itself,” Jaishankar said adding that members of his association would be camping in New Delhi to meet all party leaders, including State MPs.
“We will stage a demonstration at Jantar Mantar on December 4 in which social activists Medha Patkar, Swami Agnivesh and R. Geetha will participate,” he said. The ST status should be given also to other communities such as Kurumans, Kuravars and Malayalis in Erode, he said.
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