The Shree Shree Nilamadhaba Adibasi Sangha, Odisha on Saturday urged the State Government to provide democratic rights to all 11 lakh tribal people belonging to ‘Saora’ and ‘Sahara’ by recognising these two nomenclatures and other spellings like Sahara, Shabar and Savar. While the Union Government has mentioned Sahara, Shabar, Savar and Saora as one tribal caste, the State Government created confusion by recommending ‘Saara’ to the Union Government for inclusion in the tribals’ list and later requested the Parliament to accept the word as a synonym of ‘Sahara’ and ‘Savar’, the Sangha said.
“English spelling of ‘Saara’ has been accepted as ‘Saora’ and ‘Sahara’ in district gazettes. The State Government should issue caste certificates in the two spellings, ‘Saora and spellings, to the ‘Saara’ caste people.