Inclusion of 'Narikorava' in ST list: Jaya writes to PM

Expert bodies had recommended their inclusion in the list

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has asked Centre to move necessary legislation in the ongoing Parliament session to include 'Narikorava' in the list of Scheduled Tribes of the state.

The state government has been repeatedly writing to Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs, regarding the inclusion of the "Narikoravan Grouped With Kuruvikkaran Community," in the list of ST in Tamil Nadu, she said in a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The government had already explained the urgent need for inclusion of the community in the list and clarified to Centre regarding the name and colloquial and formal forms of the community, she said in the letter dated August 26, which was released to the media today.

She said expert bodies, including a Joint Committee of Parliament, had recommended their inclusion in the list, and Registrar General of India had also agreed to the same.

"Based on the recommendations of the state government, Government of India, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, vide their letter F.No.12016/3/2011-C&LM-I, dated 30.4.2013 informed that the Registrar General of India and the National Commission of Scheduled Tribes, New Delhi, have also agreed to the proposal for inclusion of "Narikoravan grouped with Kuruvikkaran" in the list of Scheduled Tribes of Tamil Nadu," she said.

With Ministry of Tribal Affairs seeking the name of 'Narikoravan grouped with Kuruvikkaran' in its Hindi version to finalise the draft note for the Union Cabinet, that information has also been furnished, she added.

"The Narikoravars constitute one of the most deprived and vulnerable communities in Tamil Nadu, who are nomadic and extremely poor and deserve all the Constitutional protection and welfare measures envisaged by inclusion in the list of Scheduled Tribes," she said, adding, justice in the form of inclusion of the community in the list of ST has eluded them for long.

They urgently needed to be provided with all Constitutional guarantees envisaged by Article 342 of the Constitution to enable them to lead a life of equality and dignity along with other citizens of India, Jayalalithaa said.

She said the note for the Union Cabinet for inclusion of the nomadic community in the list of Scheduled Tribes of Tamil Nadu was ready for discussion, and requested the PM to "kindly intervene personally" in the matter.