Rath yatra from Rameswaram reaches Dindigul
A group of nomads, including Narikuravas and snake charmers, sought for a separate welfare board and reservation in education for their wards.
The nomads, who had taken out a rath yatra from Rameswaram, reached Dindigul and met officials at the collectorate and the Superintendent of Police on Thursday. They handed over petitions, seeking protection to their life and properties. Playing on their percussion instruments and with snakes they danced before the collectorate.
In a petition to the Collector, the members said that around eight lakh tribals from 40 different nomadic communities have been struggling for their survival in different parts of the State. They could not send their children to school owing to lack of community certificate. “We have no ration cards and cannot enjoy even basic rights like a common man. The government should conduct a census and declare all sects of tribals, as nomadic tribes and chalk out plans for their uplift,” they urged.
In another petition to the Superintendent of Police, they said that police excesses on nomads were intolerable. Seeking identity cards, they said that human rights violation was rampant.
The yatra team has covered Tuticorin, Tirunelveli, Virudhunagar and Theni and end their yatra in Tiruchi on December 17. The yatra was started at Rameswaram on December 10.
