Malkangiri: Chitrakonda MLA Mangu Khil and Dandakaranya Liberation Organisation president Lalit Madkami have submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari opposing the proposed renaming and grant of revenue village status to Bengali-inhabited settlements in the district.
The proposal to rename 220 villages classified as MV (Malkangiri Village) and MPV (Malkangiri Potteru Village) villages, and grant revenue village status to them, was introduced during gram sabha meetings held across various panchayats.
However, the move has sparked strong resistance from the tribal dominated Adivasi Samaj Mahasangh and 14 tribal outfits in the district. The issue took a curious turn after various tribal communities opposed the move, while the Bengali communities remained steadfast in their demands.
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Citing Section 5 of Article 244 of the Constitution, the tribal bodies argued that there is no legal provision to alter the identity of villages designated for scheduled castes (SCs) and scheduled tribes (STs) under the governor’s special directive. They have called for a halt to any further gram sabha meetings over the issue.
Of the 220 affected villages, 136 are MV-designated, and 84 are MPV-designated. All tribal associations have unanimously rejected the name change and revenue status proposal, urging the government to discontinue the ongoing gram sabha proceedings related to these villages.
PNN
