Adilabad Collector D. Divya on Wednesday assured Adivasis of conceding all their demands that fall under her purview based on merit. Those that are out of her purview will be sent to the Government for further action, she added.
The Collector was interacting with a delegation of Adivasis who met her to submit a memorandum of demands. The Adivasi leaders voiced their main demand of removing Lambadas from the list of Scheduled Tribes and stopping issue of Agency Area certificates to them.
Earlier, Ms. Divya had visited the dharna venue of the Adivasis and invited a delegation to her office for talks. About 500 Adivasis from different mandals in the district had staged the protest in front of the collectorate.
Tthe newly formed Sevalal Sena has called upon Lambadas to join in the protest programmes charted out by the organisation for later this month and first half of February. The organisation was formed at a meeting in Mahabubabad district on January 10 and 11. The demands of the Sevalal Sena include, sanction of compensation and housing for the Lambadas whose properties were damaged in violent incidents in Adilabad district in December in addition to reinstallation of the Sanki matha statue in Jodeghat tribal museum burnt in October.
The protests start on January 29 with Lambadas taking out rallies in respective mandal headquarters across the State and submitting memorandum to Tehsildars. On February 5 a dharna in front of collectorates is to be staged at district headquarters and on February 11 Lambadas are to gather at the Bajnara darwaza of Golconda Fort and observe Sevalal mahadharana on February 13 at the same venue.
