Girijan leaders oppose inclusion of Boyas in STs

Nellore: Demanding not to include Boya/Valmikis in the ST category GirijanaSangham leaders and activists staged a protest in the city on Monday. They took out a rally from KVR Petrol Bunk to ITDA office raising slogans against the Telugu Desam government.

They staged dharna  in front of the ITDA office. Speaking to the media persons, Girijana Sangham district honorary president KSrinivasulu said that the state government has to roll back its decision for including Boya/Valmikis in the ST category.

‘`GirijanaSangham would launch an agitation and stage protests in front of the Minister’s house if the government includes Valmikis in the category. We would also lay siege local legislator’s house,’’ warned Srinivasulu.

He also said that the TD government has been playing politics in the issues of the ST population and it has been trying to cash the votes of Boya/Valmikis, he alleged. ‘Instead of making efforts for progress of the ST communities, state government is trying to deviate from the reservations norms,’ the Girijanaleader said. He said that there are 2.5 lakh tribal population in the district.

Majority of the tribes in the district have been away from the reach of the welfare schemes, he alleged. Tribal population had lost their traditional handworks due to mechanisation and facing troubles to earn their livelihood.  He also demanded the state government to provide 35 kilos of rice to each tribe family.