ST STATUS DEMAND BY KUDMIS – POLITY
News: In Bengal, Junglemahal faultlines flare as Kudmis up the ante in ST
status stir
What is in the news?
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Recently, Several Kudmi
community panchayat members of West Bengal including have quit their posts to
step up the community’s agitation.
Key details about the kudmi tribes:
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The Kudmi community,
which is currently listed in the Other
Backward Classes (OBC) category.
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Kudmis are mainly a peasant community, with their
population concentrated in the Junglemahal areas or the Chota Nagpur plateau of West Bengal, Jharkhand and Odisha.
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Some Kudmis are also
found in Assam and northern West
Bengal, who have migrated from the Chota Nagpur plateau region.
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During
British rule, they were in the Scheduled Tribe
or Aboriginal community list, and were regarded as a primitive tribe, like the
Munda, Oraon, Bhumij, Kharia, Santhal, and others.
Main demands of kudmi community:
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Scheduled Tribe status
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Inclusion of their language
in the Eighth Schedule of the constitution.
Provision of ST status in Indian constitution:
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According to the
modalities, for inclusion first framed in 1999, the proposal for inclusion must
originate from the respective State or
Union Territory government.
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The proposal is sent to
the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
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Again, the ministry will send
the proposal to the Office of Registrar
General of India.
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The Office of the
Registrar General of India follows the Lokur
guidelines to decide whether the tribe can be included in the ST list.
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Criterias:
○ Indications
of primitive traits,
○ Distinctive
culture,
○ Geographical
isolation,
○ Shyness
of contact with the community at large,
○ Backwardness.
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Then ORGI will send the
proposal to the National Commission on
Scheduled Tribe.
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The commission sends it
to the Cabinet.
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The Cabinet will finally
decide the matter by notifying the Constitution
Scheduled Tribes Order 1950.
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The President will notify
the above order under Article 342.