Adilabad: Talks with government fail, Adivasis start self-rule, keep Lambadas out

UTNOOR (ADILABAD): Adivasis followed through on their promise not to allow Lambadas into their gudems from June 1, by raising signboards and sentry posts in their villagers in the old Adilabad district.

The signboards said that Lambadas would no longer be allowed to work in the villages.

The sound of the thudum, the traditional drum, reverberated through the villages at midnight on Thursday, signalling the declaration of self-rule.

The main grouse of the Adivasis is that the state government has ignored their demand that Lambadas be removed from the list of Scheduled Tribes.

At various places, Adivasis submitted memorandums to the heads of government departments stating that they will not allow Lambada employees into their villages.

The villagers of Marlavai in Jainoor mandal had a signboard saying Mava Nate Mava Raj… Mava Nate Mava Sarkar (Our rule in our village, our government in our village).

They claimed they have a right to do so under Article 243 and 244 (1) of the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996.