Keonjhar/Baripda: Kudumis have been staging protests for a long time demanding a tribal tag, but nothing was done regarding this.
Upset over this, hundreds of Kudumis belonging to the Kudumi Sena Odisha staged a rally in Keonjhar and Baripada in Mayurbhanj Friday. At Baripada, the Kudumis observed a black day over their five demands.
The Kudumis pointed out that well before general elections, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had assured them to set up a Kudumi Vikash Parishad to ensure their welfare and to look into their problems. They demanded the Chief Minister must take immediate steps regarding this.
Holding banners and wearing black badges, the Kudumis marched from Nagarbhawan to the Collectorate. They also submitted a memorandum addressed to President Ramnath Kovind through the Collector.
Thousands of Kudumis from all over the state had staged a protest in New Delhi a few months ago, seeking the tribal tag.
Kudumi Sena, the outfit working for the community, said the assurance of the Chief Minister to set up a Bikash Prishad indicate that Kudumis are still not developed. A delegation of the Kudumi Sena had held talks with the Chief Minister regarding this.
The Kudumi Sena’s media coordinator, Lamodar Mohant, said that there were nearly five lakh Kudumis in Keonjhar and the total number of Kudumis in the state was 25 lakh.
A large number of Kudumis live in districts like Mayurbhnaj, Sundergarh, jajpur, Dhenkanal, Deogarh, Angul, Cuttack and Khurdha. The Sena made it clear that it has not given up its demand for the tribal tag. “Instead of recommending the tribal tag to the Centre, the government is trying to set up a Kudumi Bikash Parishad,” added.
The Kudumi Sena said that before 1950 Kudumis used to have tribal status, but it was cancelled by the Centre September 6, 1950 for no reason.
The Kudumi Sena demanded that the state government should recommend to the Centre to recognize them as a Scheduled Tribe.
The Kudumis had staged dharnas at the Jantar Mantar in New Delhi March 8, 2016 and September 6, 2018. An Adhikar rally was organised at Baripada March 11 this year and a bandh was called in nine districts May 7. The Kudumis had also sent three lakh post cards to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik seeking the tribal tag.
PNN
