The Paharia community of Nuapada conducted a rally at the district headquarters town on Thursday demanding tribal status.
“We are tribals in Chhatishgarh but in Odisha we have been excluded from the scheduled list. We have been demanding tribal status for over past three decades, but the successive Governments have not responded to our demand,” lamented the leaders.
Paharias of Balangir, Nuapada, Nabarangpur and Kalahandi districts had joined the rally. A memorandum addressed to the Prime Minister of India was submitted to the ADM of the district.
The Odisha Government has completed all the formalities required to bring a change in the Constitution. A study on life and culture / ethnicity of the Paharia community has been done and the State level Tribes Advisory Committee has also approved the proposal. Now, it is lying pending with the Government of India for Parliament approval,” said Paharia Vikash Manch secretary Sukal Sai Paharia. We have addressed our memorandum to the Prime Minister of India, the Union Home Minister and the Union Tribal Affairs Minister, added Sukal.