AIADMK demands inclusion of 4 tribes of Puducherry in ST list

The demand to recognise the four tribes as Scheduled Tribes is a long-standing one.
AIADMK demands inclusion of 4 tribes of Puducherry in ST list
AIADMK demands inclusion of 4 tribes of Puducherry in ST list
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The AIADMK on Tuesday demanded that the government expedite inclusion of four tribal communities of Puducherry-- Kattunayakan, Malalikuravan, Yerukkula and Kuruman -- in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour in Rajya Sabha, AIADMK member N Gokulakrishna said a committee constituted by the government of Puducherry had recommended inclusion of five tribal communities under Article 342 of the Constitution in the ST list.

Article 342 empowers the President of India to notify any tribe or tribal communities or parts of or groups within tribes or tribal communities as Scheduled Tribes in relation to any state or union territory, after consultation with the Governor of the state or union territory. The Article also empowers the Parliament to include and exclude any tribe or tribal communities or parts of or groups within tribes or tribal communities in the list of Scheduled Tribes.

However, the Central government, in 2016, notified inclusion of only 'Irular' community as ST and no action has been taken yet for including the remaining four tribes such as Kattunayakan, Malalikuravan, Yerukkula and Kuruman. The Presidential assent to add ‘Irular’ community into the Scheduled Tribes list came 14 years after the government of Puducherry sent a proposal listing down five tribes to be added to the schedule.

These tribals are living in isolated pockets in Puducherry region. As a result, they are not able to enjoy the benefits of reservation and other concessions available to these communities, he said.

He also said that the Puducherry government has been pleading for long time for including these communities in the list of STs but no action has been taken.

"I request the government to expedite the matter and include the left over tribes in the ST category," he added.

(With PTI inputs)

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