Adivasis rally in Bhadrachalam demanding removal of Lambadis from ST category

Thousands of Adivasis marched through Bhadrachalam demanding the removal of Lambadis from the Scheduled Tribes list, citing loss of reservation benefits for indigenous communities like Gond, Koya and Kolam. Leaders from Adivasi JAC and Tudum Debba addressed the rally, urging immediate action from state and central governments.

Kothagudem: Thousands of Adivasis marched through the streets of temple town Bhadrachalam in the district on Sunday with a demand to remove Lambadis from Scheduled Tribes (STs) list.

A massive rally was organised from Sarapaka in Burgampad mandal to Bhadrachalam junior college grounds where a huge public meeting was organised.

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Adivasi JAC state president Chunchu Ramakrishna, Tudum Debba state president Maipathi Arun Kumar, former legislators Rega Kantha Rao, Podem Veeraiah and Soyam Bapu Rao addressed the gathering.

They asserted that the state and central governments should act immediately and remove Lambadis from the list of STs. Adivasis would continue staging protests until their demand was fulfilled.

Genuine tribes like Gond, Koya, Kolam and others have suffered great loss in terms of reservations after Lambadis were included in the STs’ list through Constitutional Amendment 1976.

Lambadis were recognised as backward communities in many States but they were given ST status in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. As a result, Adivasis were deprived of their legitimate share in ST reservation in government jobs, education and politics, the leaders complained.

The Adivasi leaders said that after Diwali, a massive protest and public meeting would be held in Adilabad district. Adivasis from five surrounding States would be mobilised for the meeting, they added.