Tribal bodies to boycott Jaganannaku Chepudham

 Visakhapatnam: Various Adivasi organisations in ASR and other districts have decided to boycott “Jaganannaku Chebudham” launched by Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. This programme allows people to register their grievances at any time of the day or night. It is also designed to spread awareness about government services and welfare schemes among the people

Convener of JAC that represents several Adivasi federations and unions, Ramarao Dora, said JAC would not use this platform and will also appeal to the people to boycott the programme.

The Adivasis are fighting against the state government for passing resolution to include Bentho Oriyas and Boya Valmikis in the ST list. They have already boycotted the ‘Gadapa Gadapaku Mana Prabhutvam’ and ‘Jagananne Ma Bhavishyattu’ and prevented MLAs and local leaders from conducting these mass contact programmes.

“We are against the resolution which adds more groups under the ST list that threatens our existence. We have already informed the government and there is no need to register on the new portal afresh,” Dora said on Wednesday.

He also said the weekly ‘Spandana’ conducted every Fridays in ITDA limits and weekly shandies have become a farce. Problems were seldom redressed, he added.

Adivasis need solutions to their basic needs like health services, roads, teachers, drinking water facilities and employment, he added.

“I had submitted a grievance petition in GK Veedhi at Paderu ITDA office and the concerned officials passed on the petition to tahsildar at GK Veedhi and marked it as closed,’’ Dora said.

Another JAC leader M. Rajababu said they have submitted several petitions to spend SC, ST sub-plan funds for developing roads and drinking water facilities but the government diverted the funds not spending a rupee in the agency areas.

Both Dora and Rajababu said they would prevent the elected representatives and nominated leaders from campaigning in the villages.