Telangana tribes on warpath over ST list

Northern Telangana has been roiled by mounting tribal protests over the past two months because of a single demand: removal of the dominant Lambadas, or Banjaras, from the scheduled tribe list.

The agitation, fronted by youth associations of Gond and Koya tribes, began in three districts — Adilabad, Komaram Bheem Asifabad and Mancherial — in the northern part of the state but has since spread to other tribal-dominated districts of Jayashankar Bhupalpally, Bhadradri Kothagudem and Khammam in the eastern region.

Tribals have taken out processions, held protests and dharnas and submitted petitions to the state government to press for their demand.

Recently, thousands of tribals took out a massive rally in Kothagudem town, claiming injustice to the other tribes due to the domination of the Lambadas, a nomadic tribe.

In Asifabad, some groups have blocked Lambada teachers from entering tribal welfare schools, passing resolutions at village councils seeking their removal from the ST list and staging protests in front of the collectorate.

“All these years, the real Adivasis were subjected to injustice in education and employment because Lambadas would grab all opportunities. They destroyed our culture and tradition,” Gond Youth Association leader Kanaka Ambaji Rao told HT.

Experts say the discontent has been brewing for at least three decades but a recent government announcement regarding staff recruitment through the Telangana State Public Service Commission blew the lid off the anger.

Other tribals fear the Lambadas will corner most of the jobs under the ST quota.