Soyam Bapurao alleges TRS MLAs trying to divide adivasis and their agitations
Bapurao said TRS government was targeting the Thudumdebba' which was spearheading the adivasi agitation for their constitutional rights
ADILABAD: Adilabad MP Soyam Bapurao on Sunday alleged that the TRS government and its MLAs are trying to divide the adivasis in the state and weaken their agitations for various rights. Unity among the adivasis is a pre-requisite to achieve their rights, he stressed.
Soyam Bapurao said the TRS government was targeting the ‘Thudumdebba’ which was spearheading the adivasi agitation for their constitutional rights in the state and added that the TRS government has undercut the growth of various adivasi organisations after the formation of the Telangana state.
He said adivasis had thought their problems will be resolved in the new Telangana state but their problems only multiplied under the TRS government.
Soyam Bapurao was addressing the adivasis employees meeting in Adilabad town. Adivasi associations felicitated Padma Shree awardee, Kanaka Raju, on the occasion.
Soyam Bapurao said the Supreme Court had nullified central government order GO3 since the Telangana government officials had failed to produce the required documents to justify the 100 per cent reservations the Centre had granted to the local adivasis for jobs in agency areas.
He said the central government had passed a law in Parliament giving 100 per cent reservations to the adivasis living in the 5th and 6th scheduled areas for jobs in such areas when PV Narasimha Rao was prime minister.
Soyam Bapurao said he stood solidly behind the adivasis’ demand for removal of Lambadas from the ST list. He was striving hard to realize their demand, he said, and added that recently a delegation of adivasis had met tribal affairs minister Arjun Munda and sought his help in solving their problems.
‘Aadhar Society’ president and retired joint collector Kalthy Veeramallu said the state government is denying the rights of the adivasis and added that adivasis are losing their lands and jobs to Lambadas.
Veeramallu said adivasis were caught in the crossfire between the Maoists and the police and these hapless people were falling victims to offensives from both sides. Former Adilabad MP Godam Nagesh said he has been extending help to the adivasis employees and said adivasis should fight hard to get the benefits of GO3 jobs, and political lobbying was needed for this.
Adivasi employees welfare and cultural association state coordinator Chunchu Ramakrishna also spoke.
Women commission member Kumra Eshwari Bai, Dr Sumaltha, GHMC additional director Dr Padmaja, adivasi leader Kanak Lakke Rao, AEWCA state president Gondi Venkatramana, Prof Sidam Kishore and Prof Apka Nageshwar Rao, Chinchu Ramakrishna, Rambabu, Anaka Devender, Gedem Janardhan, Mesram Shekar Babu, Sedmaki Godru and Thulasiram, Kanaka Ramarao, Atram Suguna, Bhujangarao, Kova Nagorao, Kotnaka Praveen and others also spoke.