ADILABAD: Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao seems to be making efforts to attract the Lambada community that has a strong presence in North India as it suits his foray into national politics and also to come in handy in the next Assembly elections.
Rao’s speech at the inauguration of ‘Sevalal Banjara Bhavan’ in Hyderabad has assumed political importance as elections are due in Telangana next year and because of his bid to realise a ‘BJP-mukt Bharat’.
In his speech, Rao said Lambadas or Banjaras should get uniform status across the country. They are considered ST in Telangana while they come under the BC category in Maharashtra and in OC in some states. This imbalance status must be put an end to, he said. Banjaras are considered SCs in Karnataka.
His speech has not gone down well among some Adivasis who are critical of the CM supporting ST status for Lambadas across the country.
A case by Adivasi organisations that is pending in the Supreme Court is about removal of Lambadas from the ST list. The Lambada community has a considerable population and is one of the biggest communities in Telangana. It is being felt that the Chief Minister’s ‘equal status’ remark is aimed at preventing the Lambada community from inching towards the BJP.
Till now, the Lambada community members were deemed a strong vote bank for the TRS as they got welfare schemes and a major share in education and employment under ST reservations.
Thudum Debba district president Godam Ganesh said, ‘Adivasis have been suffering a lot on various fronts in Telangana state. There is unrest among adivasis, especially the youth.
Ganesh said Adivasi youth of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha and other states were losing employment opportunities in central services and UPPSC to the Lambada community members of Telangana, whose inclusion in the ST list he said was illegal.
He demanded that the Chief Minister release a White Paper on group-wise data of which tribal group has been given seats, jobs and benefits of welfare schemes under the ST category.
