Telangana Adivasis Welcome SC Ruling, Demand Removal of Lambadas from ST List
Update: 2024-08-01 17:40 GMT
Adilabad: Adivasis in Telangana welcomed the Supreme Court judgment allowing state governments to sub-classify Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) to grant quotas within these groups. They alleged that the Lambada tribals cornered all the benefits of education, employment and welfare meant for STs.
Adivasi leaders said the categorisation of STs and their demand for removal of Lambadas from the list were two separate issues and they would continue their fight till the Lambadas were declassified. A petition to this effect is pending in the Supreme Court.
State working president of Tudum Debba (Adivasi Hakkula Porata Samiti) Godam Ganesh said removing the Lambadas from ST list was the only solution to their problems. He said the Lambadas gained entry into the list through fraudulent means during the Emergency.
Anaka Devender, state associate president of the Adivasi Employees Welfare and Cultural Association (AEWCA), and one of the petitioners in the Supreme Court, said the apex court’s judgment on Thursday was not related to STs and Article 342 (1) (which refers to ST and their rights) was not referred to in the judgment.
He said Lambadas ere continuing illegally in the ST list with GO 149 issued in 1976 by the social welfare department of Andhra Pradesh government.
State working president of Tudum Debba (Adivasi Hakkula Porata Samiti) Godam Ganesh said removing the Lambadas from ST list was the only solution to their problems. He said the Lambadas gained entry into the list through fraudulent means during the Emergency.
Anaka Devender, state associate president of the Adivasi Employees Welfare and Cultural Association (AEWCA), and one of the petitioners in the Supreme Court, said the apex court’s judgment on Thursday was not related to STs and Article 342 (1) (which refers to ST and their rights) was not referred to in the judgment.
He said Lambadas ere continuing illegally in the ST list with GO 149 issued in 1976 by the social welfare department of Andhra Pradesh government.