The four-day padayatra by adivasis belonging to non-scheduled villages in Anakapalli district demanding inclusion of their villages in the Fifth Schedule concluded on Monday. Adivasis of Cheedikada, V Madugula, Ravikamatam, Rolugunta, Golugonda and Nathavaram participated in large numbers in the padayatra. Organised by the Fifth Schedule Sadhana Samiti-AP and the All India Adivasi Sangam (ASM), the padayatra culminated at Anakapalli where a public meeting was held at the K. Balagopal Hall in Gundala centre.
Addressing the gathering, Human Rights Forum A.P. & TS Coordination Committee member V.S. Krishna said after the reorganisation of districts in the State, immense injustice was done to adivasis residing in the districts of Anakapalli, Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Kakinada and East Godavari.
He said hundreds of adivasi villages were left out of the purview of the ITDAs in these districts. Consequently, they were facing enormous land alienation because of non-inclusion of their villages in the 5th Schedule and this situation was bound to worsen in the coming days.
“This neglect is because of political opportunism and bureaucratic apathy that has led to adivasis in these mandals being deprived of Constitutional guarantees and protective legislation. They are unable to access developmental programmes and welfare measures meant for adivasis and they continue to be deprived of rights and authorities bestowed upon them by the Constitution,” he stated.
Mr. Krishna recalled the express assurances given to the adivasis time and again by successive governments and called upon the State government to finalise a concrete and comprehensive proposals for inclusion of the villages in the Fifth Schedule without further delay and to forward them to the Centre.
All India vice-president of the All India Agricultural and Rural Labour Association (AIARLA) B. Bangarao alleged that ruling party legislators were deliberately obstructing efforts to render justice to the adivasis.
He said former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy had given an assurance in the Assembly on March 13, 2007 that justice would be rendered to the adivasis and that all efforts would be made to include the Non-Scheduled villages in the Scheduled area. However, this promise was not fulfilled.
CPI (M) leader K Lokanadham alleged that corrupt officials were acting at the behest of ruling party functionaries and manipulating land records to the detriment of the adivasis. Because of non-implementation of statutory rights for adivasis, their resources in the Non-Scheduled areas were being plundered. Despite bringing these illegalities to the notice of higher authorities, precious little was being done, he added.
Among those who spoke were P.S. Ajay Kumar of AIARLA, Tamada Aruna of the All India Progressive Mahila Sangam, B Ramana of the CPI, Vempatapu Bharati and MP Ramdev.
A memorandum was later submitted to the Collector. The adivasis said they would be organising a protest at the Vijayawada dharna chowk on August 14 seeking inclusion of their villages in the Fifth Schedule.
