HYDERABAD: Adivasi communities on Saturday demanded the removal of Lambadas from the ST category, alleging that they were availing 90 per cent of reservation benefits. Tribal leaders, MPs and MLAs and former legislators who attended the Adivasi Garjana at Saroornagar stadium on Saturday supported this demand. A large number of Adivasis belonging to Gond, Koya, Pardhan, Kolam, Naikpodu and Thoti tribes reached the venue in own vehicles, buses and trains throwing traffic out of gear on LB Nagar-Dilsukhnagar route in the evening. Police rushed in additional personnel to avoid any untoward incidents.
Parliamentary committee chairman on SC/ST affairs Faggan Singh Kulasthe, a former Union minister, told the gathering that he would put the demand to remove Lambadas from ST category before the Centre. He said an inquiry would be conducted on complaints that the Lambada population had grown to 24 lakh in the state against 60,000 in 1981. Mr Kulasthe lamented that job quota meant for STs is being filled with other communities. Adilabad MP G. Nagesh felt that Adivasis were facing neglect for the last 40 years.
Tudum Debba honorary president and former legislator Soyam Bapu Rao alleged that Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao was supporting Lambadas. He warned of a big agitation in New Delhi if their demand was not met in 15 days. TRS Asifabad MLA Kova Lakshmi faced the wrath of the crowd when she took Mr Rao during her speech. People shouted “KCR down down”, forcing her to stop. The Lambada community has decided to hold a counter protest at the very same venue on December 13. Leaders said that they would not agree for removal of their community from the ST category.
