If a large gathering of people from the most backward groups can convey the message strongly to the powers that be, then the Adivasis who gathered at the Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi for the Adivasis’ Asthitva Porata (struggle for existence) public meeting sent a clear message to the Union government with regard to their demands. On Monday, the national capital witnessed one of its largest gatherings, that of aboriginal people from the Agency areas of the southern State of Telangana, in pursuit of their demand for removal of Lambada tribe from the list of Scheduled Tribes.
Over thousands of ethnic people mainly from the districts of former undivided Adilabad, Warangal and Khammam, besides a few scores from Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh reached New Delhi through various means of travel to participate in the meeting organised by the Adivasi Hakkula Porata Samithi, popularly known as Tudum Debba, and other organisations of the aboriginal people. “We have gathered here to make our demand heard by the Central government from close quarters,” observed chief of Tudum Debba Soyam Bapu Rao, BJP MP from Adilabad, and the spearhead of the Adivasi rights movement.
Meeting PM
“We will convey our demands to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in person as we are slated to meet him tomorrow (Tuesday),” declared the Adivasi leader during his address at the public meeting. The list of demands includes grant of Local Scheduled Tribe certificates to the aboriginal people who are living in villages which are not categorised as Agency villages.
Mr. Bapu Rao also demanded the Telangana government to reply to the notice sent to it by the Supreme Court in a case related with the tenability of Lambada tribe in the list of STs. He gave a call for unity among the aboriginal tribes and the call was supported by Asifabad MLA Athram Sakku and Mulugu MLA Seethakka, the former now siding with the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samiti and the latter representing the Congress in the Assembly.
Above party lines
Both the MLAs voiced their concern for the issues facing the Adivasis. “We will fight for the rights of Adivasis irrespective of parties,” they declared while addressing the gathering.
Earlier, enthusiastic people who got down their modes of transport at different locations marched towards the venue through the wide roads of the national capital. Those arriving by the special train at Safdarjung Railway Station covered the 10 km distance to Ramlila Maidan on foot.
