New Delhi: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) Tuesday extended support to a Bill to include certain communities in the list of Scheduled Tribes (ST) in Chhattisgarh and demanded the inclusion of 169 left out communities in the ST list of Odisha.
The Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (fifth amendment) Bill, 2022 was passed by the Rajya Sabha Tuesday amidst Opposition’s protest over Manipur violence.
BJD Rajya Sabha MP Sasmit Patra welcomed the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) order (fifth amendment) Bill, 2022 which seeks to include certain communities in the ST list in Chhattisgarh. He also highlighted the plight of tribal people in Odisha and put forth several demands of the state in respect to welfare of tribal communities.
At least 169 tribal communities in Odisha are still waiting for inclusion in the ST list. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had written several letters in this respect to the Union government but the Centre is yet to take any decision on this, Patra said, adding that proposals for inclusion of certain tribal groups have been pending since 1970.
BJD MP Niranjan Bishi, who also spoke on the Bill, urged the Union government to look into the pending proposals sent by Odisha government for inclusion of 169 communities in the state’s ST list. During his speech he named several tribal communities of Odisha and demanded that they be included in the ST list.
Bishi appreciated the Union government for bringing the Bill which, according to him, will benefit the tribal communities in Chhattisgarh.
Significantly, Patra also requested for inclusion of tribal languages Ho, Mundari, and Bhumij in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.
Drawing attention of the Upper House towards the hardship faced by tribal women involved in plucking of Kendu leaves, the BJD requested for withdrawal of 18 per cent GST on Kendu leaves. Over 10 lakh tribal women in Odisha are dependent on Kendu leaves.
Patra also urged for the passage of the Women’s Reservation Bill in the Parliament to provide 33 per cent reservation to women.
Kuldeep Singh, OP
