BJD Slams BJP For Its ‘Anti-Tribal’ Stance, Demands ST Status For 169 Communities

Bhubaneswar: A month after the BJD demanded the Centre to include 169 tribals communities in the ST list of Odisha, party spokesperson-cum-senior general secretary Pradeep Majhi on Friday slammed the BJP-led government for its anti-tribal, anti-poor and anti-Odisha policies.

Addressing a press meet here, the former MP said the BJD government led by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has been working for the development and welfare of tribals in Odisha. “The CM has provided 5 lakh tribal girl children with hostels. There are Special Development Councils (SDCs) in nine tribal-dominated districts of Odisha, covering 117 blocks, 2022 GPs, 18687 villages and 14.05 lakh ST households. The BJP, on the other hand, has always neglected the tribals,” he alleged.

Explaining his stand, Majhi said that the Centre has time and again ignored the state government’s proposal to include these tribes in the ST list, depriving them of the status and its benefit for the last 75 years since Independence. More than 160 proposals recommended by the state government for inclusion in the ST list of Odisha are pending with the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, he said.

On September 16 last year, CM Naveen Patnaik wrote to the Union Minister of Tribal Affairs to consider the inclusion of Pauri Bhuyan, Chuktia Bhunjia, Durua, Dhurua, Dhurava, Uram, Dhangara, Oram/Uraon, Oraon Mudi and many others but it is yet to be approved.

On October 10, 2022, the Ministry was urged to include 20 communities – Tomodia Bhumij, Tamadia Bhumij, Tamundia Bhumij, Tamulia Bhumij, TamudiaBhumij, Tanla Gauda, Dora, Anati Dora/ Enati Dora, Saara, Kui (Kandha), Kaur, Rajual/Rajuad, Konda Reddy/ Konda Reddi, Putiya/Putia/Dulia/Dhulia/Putiya Paik/Dhulia Paik/ Dulia Paik, Kalanga, Tamadia, Tamudia, Bhagata, Bhukta, Bhogota Nakasia, Bhanja Puran – in the ST list of Odisha but the Centre remained non-responsive, Majhi stated.

The Chief Minister also raised the issue at several national forums and has also written to the Centre on many occasions in this regard, said, adding that the pending status of the proposals had been communicated to the Director of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs in Odisha at a meeting in April as well.

Majhi attributed BJP’s defeat in all 30 districts of the state in the Zilla Parishad elections to its double standards on this issue. “While the CM is fighting for their rights, the BJP is only shedding crocodile tears,” he said.

While demanding immediate steps for inclusion of these 169 communities into the ST list, he warned of protests by the BJD and tribals against the “ill-treatment, neglect and constant disregard for the tribals in Odisha”.