Alleging that the State government was indifferent towards them, Adivasis on Saturday threatened to lay siege to the Medaram village on January 15.
Telangana State Adivasi Sankshema Parishat president Punem Srinivas accused the government of neglecting the rights of the Adivasis and inciting clashes between Adivasis and Lambadas in the State. “While Adivasis are agitating for the removal of Lambadas from the Scheduled Tribes category, the State government is instigating us by including Lambadas in the trust board of the Medaram temple,” he said.
“The Sammakka Sarakka jatara is purely by and for Adivasis. There is no business for Lamabadas or members of other communities to be on the trust board. Will the boards managing Christian and Muslim places of worship accept people of other faiths to manage their affairs?” he questioned.
He said that when the government does not interfere in the matters of churches or masjids, it should also not interfere in the affairs of Adivasi tribals. “The money generated by the Sammakka Sarakka jatara should go to the welfare of Adivasi tribals. We demand that the state government immediately remove the Lambadas and others from the Medaram trust board,” he said. Mr. Srinivas said the community was ready to defy the prohibitory orders imposed on the village to register their protest. “Unless the government concedes to our demand, we will oppose the visits of VIPs like the Chief Minister and Governor during the jatara,” he added.
