Thousands of Tribals, i.e., Janajatis, are demanding that converted tribals should be de-listed from the Scheduled Tribe list who cunningly take advantage of reservations meant for upliftment of tribals to preserve trial culture, traditions, lifestyle and language. The converted tribals, slyly retain their Hindu names while renouncing their indigenous faith, cultural and religious practices of worshipping trees, rivers, forests. etc. The converted Tribals are said to cunningly take minority benefits as well as special reservation facilities available through constitutional provisions under Article 342 and 371 of the Constitution of India. The real indigenous tribals suffer due to the usurpation of resources reserved for genuine Scheduled Tribes. Several thousands of Tribals – the Gonds, Bhils, Oraoms, etc. and Tribal Forums have launched agitations in many states including Madhya Pradesh, where 47 Legislative Assembly seats are reserved for the Scheduled Tribes. This agitation is slowly growing into a movement and is popularly called as the Delisting movement.
The video by History of Things describes in detail about the Delisting movement in detail and its importance which is a must watch to understand the history of the delisting movement which has its beginnings from 1970 during the rule of Indira Gandhi. The demand for delisting of converted tribals began formally in 1970s which revived in 2009 when the Janjati Samrakshan Manch submitted a demand for delisting of converted tribals to the then President of India Pratibha Patil with a support of 28 lakh signatures of Tribals. Nothing came of their demand.
This demand has now gained strength from 2020 with the recent huge rally in Madhya Pradesh by Tribals and Tribal Forums. It is hoped that the present government at the Centre would heed to the genuine demands of the Tribals to delist converted Tribals to protect the real Tribal culture, tradition, lifestyle, language and thousands of years of Janajati religious customs.
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Image sourced from internet.
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