Modi govt did nothing for development of STs: Ex MP Seetaram Naik

Naik said the Girijana Bharosa yatra launched by BJP State president Bandi Sanjay in Gurrambodu Thanda was not meant for the welfare of the tribal people.

Warangal Urban: Lamenting that Scheduled Tribes (ST) in the country were still lagging in terms of social as well as economic development, former MP from Mahabubabad Azmeera Seetaram Naik demanded the Union government to take immediate steps for their upliftment in Telangana as well as other parts of the country.

Stating that the TRS government was striving for the development of Minorities and STs in Telangana, he said the government passed the Telangana Reservation Bill (Backward Class, SC & ST Reservation Bill 2017), seeking to hike quota for backward Muslims under BC-E category to 12 per cent from the existing 4 per cent and the reservation for STs to 10 per cent from 6 per cent now. Naik demanded the Centre to take steps to provide 9.08 per cent reservations for the STs proportionate to their population in the State as per the 2011 census by initiating the process in Parliament.

The former Professor of Kakatiya University (KU), Warangal, Naik said the Girijana Bharosa yatra launched by BJP State president Bandi Sanjay in Gurrambodu Thanda was not meant for the welfare of the tribal people. “The yatra does not talk about the upliftment of tribals. The BJP leaders are mum on the demands of the tribals. It is a fake yatra,” he added.

Speaking to the media here on Wednesday, Naik, who belongs to Banjara/Lamabada community of STs, also urged the Central government to issue orders making the birth anniversary celebrations of Banjaras spiritual guru Sant Sevalal Maharaj official.

“Sevalal, the socio-religious reformer, is revered by Banjara/Lambada tribal community, the largest ethnic group in the country, and his birth anniversary must be celebrated officially across the nation. It is because of his efforts that the tribals are united and could protect their culture and traditions. The State government is already celebrating Sevalal Jayanthi for several years now. The birth anniversary of Sevalal Maharaj that falls on February 15 is the most important occasion for all Banjaras in the country. Sevalal, who was born on February 15, 1739, at Ramavath Ramji Naik Thanda to Bheema Naik and Dharmini Bhai in Gooti mandal of Anantapur district, strove a lot for the reforms in the tribals,” he said, adding that the State government should also declare holiday for tribals on the occasion of Sevalal birth anniversary.

Stating that the credit of identifying the Thandas (tribal hamlets) as Gram Panchayats goes to Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao,  Naik demanded the Centre to allocate more funds for the development of the tribal population in the country. “The Centre should also resolve the issues of rights over the Podu lands,” he said and demanded that the Centre should take immediate steps to set up Central Tribal University by providing 80 per cent reservations to the tribal students in Telangana and also set up the Bayyaram steel factory in Telanagana so as to facilitate employment to the tribals of the region.

 

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