HYDERABAD: As a counter to the public meeting held by Adivasis on Saturday, in which they demanded removing the Lambada commnity from the Scheduled Tribes category, the Lambadas organised a Shankaravam at the same venue — Saroorna-gar stadium — on Wed-nesday.
People of all age groups and genders, and from different parts of the state, gathered at the stadium from 6.30 am. By afternoon, the stadium was packed and the roads outside jammed.
Leaders and activists of the All India Banjara Seva Sangham, Lambada Porata Hakkula Samithi, Sevalal Sena, Banjara Sena and Girijan Sangham etc attended the meeting.
MP Sitaram Naik, legislators Ramulu Naik, Redya Naik, Shanker Naik, Ravinder Kumar, Madan Lal, ex-MP Ravin-der Naik, Balram Naik, Ramesh Rathod, retired IPS officer D.T. Nayak and ST leaders Bellaya Naik, G. Shankar Naik, B. Sanjeev Naik, Raju Naik and Nehru Naik attended the meeting.
One of the main organisers, Mr Bellaya Naik, said in his speech, that the meeting was not to vent their anger against fellow Adivasis. He said that Adivasis, during their public meeting had misguided people about reservations and that is why this meeting was being held.
MLA Redya Naik said that the Lambada population in the state was 23 lakh and the Adivasis, five lakh. Adivasis, though fewer in number, were represented by five MLAs, while the larger Lambada population is represented by seven. Each community has one MP, he said.
Mr Naik said that this reservation fight was a conspiracy of some Opposition parties to get political gains by creating a rift among te STs.
Youth leader G. Shanker Naik appealed to all the 33 tribes (in the ST category), including Lambadas, to wage a joint fight to ensure reservation quota for STs was increased from the existing six per cent.
The meeting deplored attacks on Lambada employees, including teachers in agency areas, by Adivasis.
