Opposition MPs call for comprehensive Bill to include all communities left out of ST list

Support from across party lines for Bill to include Narikoravan and Kurivikkaran tribes in ST list of Tamil Nadu

Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda on Wednesday moved a motion in Lok Sabha to kick-off discussion on the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Second Amendment) Bill, 2022, introduced last week, to include the ‘Narikoravan’ and ‘Kurivikkaran’ communities of Tamil Nadu in the Scheduled Tribes list of the State.

Starting the discussion on the Bill, K. Jayakumar of the Indian National Congress, supported the inclusion of these communities in the ST list but threw a barrage of questions towards the government and the Ministry of Tribal Affairs over bringing in policies that actually help members of ST communities. 

While all members rose in support of the inclusion of these two communities in the ST list, members from Opposition parties like Nationalist Congress Party, All India Trinamool Congress, and several others pointed out that there were many more communities agitating for ST status. The government should bring a comprehensive Bill to address the issue, instead of a “piece by piece” approach. NCP MP Supriya Sule spoke of several communities like the Lingayats, Marathas, Dhangars, and others in Maharashtra. 

“Instead of piecemeal inclusions, I request the government to include the demands made by all communities,” Ms. Sule said. Almost every other member, who rose to support the Bill, spoke of communities in their respective states that needed to be included in the ST list and exhorted the government to consider these demands.

Mr. Jayakumar cited data first reported by The Hindu this year that just about 4,000 teachers had so far been appointed in Eklavya Model Residential Schools for tribal students, of which around 70% were not permanent, asking the Minister why regular permanent appointments to teaching positions were not being made in these schools. 

He also cited the high school drop-out rate among ST students, and the high rate of anaemia among ST populations to note that inclusion of communities in the ST list alone would not bring them benefits. He also sought specific details on the amount the government intended to set aside for these communities, criticising the Financial Memorandum of the Bill for being vague on this subject. 

Further, VCK MP D. Ravikumar, while supporting the Bill, expressed gratitude to Chief Minister M.K. Stalin for persistently following up on this issue with the Union government. Mr. Ravikumar made the point that the spelling of the communities as introduced in the English version of the Bill should be changed to “Narikoravar” and “Kuruvikkarar” as a mark of respect for the communities. This suggestion was also backed by CPI member K. Subbarayyan, who also said that adding communities to the list was not enough to ensure their development and called for meaningful change.