Tamil Nadu - Erode   

`Include Kuravars in list of Scheduled Tribes'

Staff Reporter

Members appeal to the police not to register false cases and harass them

UNITED THEY STAND: Members of Tamil Nadu Kuravar Tribal People Association taking out a rally in Erode on Monday. — Photo M. Govarthan

ERODE: Kuravar community should be included in the list of Scheduled Tribes (ST), members of the Tamil Nadu Kuravar Tribal People Association said.

At its `Social Justice Conference' in Erode on Monday, members said that the Government Tribal Research Centre (TRC) had declared that the community was a Scheduled Tribe. It also recommended to the SC/ST Welfare Secretary and Minister to grant ST certificate to them. Hence they appealed to the Government to give the certificates.

To mark the conference, members took out a rally from Municipal VOC Park to the Municipal Kalyana Mandapam.

Members said that the police foisted several false cases against their community members. Though the Criminal Tribal Act was abolished, the police were threatening them that they would book cases against them under the Act. Hence the meeting by a resolution requested the Police department not to register false cases and harass them.

Due to poor finances, Kuravars could not construct houses. Hence the conference demanded that the State Government grant house site pattas to them and construct group houses. For the uplift of Kuravars, the banks should grant "interest-free loans" to set up small industries.

In Erode, Karur and Namakkal districts, they were making broomsticks and selling them, for which they collected raw material from Sathyamangalam forest. Some persons were selling raw materials through touts. This should be stopped, members said and urged officials of the Forest Department not to encourage touts and middlemen.

`Give permit cards'

A representation was also made to the Forest Department to provide `forest permit card' to the Kuravars who collect raw materials from the forest.

The conference urged the Election Commission of India, Union and State Governments to increase the Reserve ST Constituencies from three to four, as the population of tribals in the State had gone up.

Erode district organiser of Tamil Nadu Kuravar Tribal People Association M. Kandasamy led the rally and conference.

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