Telangana: Adivasis demand exclusion of Lambadas from ST list

In April this year, the K Chandrashekar Rao government in Telangana introduced a Bill to increase the quota for STs from 6 per cent to 12 per cent. While the legislation has been passed by the Assembly, its implementation will require the Centre’s nod for its inclusion in Ninth Schedule of the Constitution.

ST leaders are, however, saying that the communities won’t benefit by the increase in quota unless Lambadas are excluded from the ST category.

Adivasis, mainly from Adilabad and Kumaram Bheem Asifabad districts, held a large protest meeting at Saroornagar Stadium in Hyderabad on Saturday. This is the first time ST associations such as the Telangana Tudum Debba and Adivasi Association, Girijana Aikhya Vedika, Adivasi Hakkula Poratha Samiti, Adivasi Students’ Assocation and others came together to protest.

STs comprise 9.3 per cent of Telangana’s population, numbering about 31 lakh. Over a lakh members from Gond, Koya, Pardhan, Kollam, Naikpodu and Thoti tribes of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh took part in the protest on Saturday.

The meeting was attended by several ruling TRS leaders from the ST community, who alleged that the majority of Lambadas in Telangana were migrants from Maharashtra and Karnataka, but were taking away a chunk of reservations in the ST category meant for local residents. “There is anger in Adivasi communities over Lambadas, whom they don’t consider as local residents. Tribals from remote areas are unable to compete with Lambadas who settle down in urban and semi-urban areas and take up jobs,’’ Adilabad MP G Nagesh said.

ST leaders alleged that a well-oiled racket in the village and mandal-level administration is helping Lambadas get domicile and “local tribe’’ certificates.

“Lambadas who have settled in Telangana in recent years are also eligible for ST quota. This is unfair. They come from outside Telangana, but are getting 90 per cent of the existing 6 per cent quota in jobs or education,’’ said Kumaram Soni Rao, grandson of tribal freedom fighter Kumaram Bheem and an ST leader.

The tension between tribals and Lambadas is simmering in predominantly tribal areas of Adilabad, Asifabad, Karimnagar and Warangal.

Samaiah Dora, Girijana Aikhya Vedida’s general secretary, accused Lambadas of cornering various government schemes. “Originally there were 32 STs in Telangana and Andhra but the Lambadas… were added to the list in 1976. We will take our demand to Delhi soon.’’