Tribals of the Polavaram-project merged mandals, led by the Adivasi Samkshema Parishad (ASP), on Sunday burnt the effigy of YSR Congress Party MLA from Polavaram, Tellam Balaraju, for supporting the inclusion of Boya and Valmikis in the Scheduled Tribe (ST).
They held a protest on the road at Meduvai in Yetapaka Mandal in Chintoor Agency in the Alluri Sitarama Raju (ASR) district.
State government resolution
On March 24, Andhra Pradesh State Legislative Assembly passed a resolution urging the Union government to include Boya and Valmikis of the State in the ST list, which triggered protests across the tribal belt in the State.
Speaking at the protest site, ASP State secretary Sunnam Venkata Ramana appealed to the sarpanches and MPTCs of the merged mandals to resign from their posts to pressure the State government to withdraw the resolution.
‘Deeply hurt’
“Polavaram MLA Mr. Balaraju recently said there would be no loss to the STs if the Boya and Valmikis were given the ST status. His observations deeply hurt the tribals of the State,” said Mr. Venkata Ramana.
The ASP has also warned to intensify the protests on the issue further. ASP leaders Sunnam Raghavayya, Tellam Naveen, Gundi Lakshman, Sunnam Prasanth and Payam Nagamani participated in the protest.
