Members of some ST organisations and the Yerkala Hakkula Porata Samithi stormed into the State guest house here while A.P. SC/ST Commission chairman Karem Sivaji was addressing a meeting on Thursday and staged a protest carrying placards and raising slogans opposing the proposed inclusion of Valmiki/Boya community in the ST list.
The samithi president R. Ramudu, general secretary Y. Raju and vice-president M. Gopal asserted that Chenchu, Yanadi, Erukala and Sugali communities, who eked out a living in the forest areas and facing social boycott, were included in the ST list, but the benefits of reservation were elusive to them. As they were away from education and civilisation, the ST backlog posts notified every year were remaining vacant for want of candidates, they said.
The ST population was 27.39 lakh in A.P. as per the 2011 census and 42% of them were below the poverty line in rural areas and 26% in urban areas, they said.
Opposing inclusion of other communities in the ST list, they expressed fear that their communities would be deprived of the existing benefits.
The police sent the protesters out of the meeting hall.
Report soon
Mr. Sivaji said he would tour Kappatralla, Yemmiganur, Adoni, Kosigi and Mantralayam in Kurnool district to gauge the economic and living standards of the Valmiki community and submit a report to the government.
