This year, it would be a summer discontent for aborginal people in the State, who are already in struggle mode demanding removal of Lambadi tribe from the list of Scheduled Tribes.
There are two important public meetings of the Adivasis scheduled this month in Adilabad district, at Narnoor on April 9 and at Indervelli on April 20, where the alleged discrimination against the ethnic people by none other than Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao would come up for discussion.
Adivasi gudems
The Chief Minister had recently addressed a gathering of Lambadis at Pragathi Bhavan in Hyderabad where he talked about their numerical supremacy while comparing it with the Adivasis whose population is lesser. He also referred to 3,000 Lambadi tandas or habitations slated for upgradation as gram panchayats, but refrained from talking about development in Adivasi gudems, which has come as a rude shock to the latter.
“This is a deliberate attempt to weaken the aboriginal people both morally and economically,” accused Athram Bhujang Rao, district president of Human Rights Forum, himself a Raj Gond and a leader of the movement for expulsion of Lambadis from the list of STs. “There is no effort made by the government to talk to us on the issue,” he added as he alluded to the meeting that the Chief Minister had with Lambadis.
Not that Lambadi people across the State are happy with the announcements made in their favour by the Chief Minister at the meeting. Lambadi Hakkula Porata Samiti (LHPS) Adilabad district president Jadhav Ramana Naik termed it a sham as there was no discussion on resolving the burning issue of differences between them and the Adivasis that led to clashes.
The aboriginal people here were actually waiting for a word from the government for a meeting with Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao, which the latter had entrusted the Adivasi public representatives in the district to organise. After the meeting with Lambadi tribe, the public representatives here stand highly discredited.
Development issues
“These leaders should have taken the lead,” opined a Raj Gond elder as he dwelt upon the issue of meeting with the Chief Minister. “They should understand the seriousness of the problem,” he added.
“Instead of fanning the egos of selfish politicians, the government should talk of development of lands of Adivasis. This is necessary to uplift their economic condition,” the LHPS district president opined.
