The differences between the Raj Gond and other Adivasis, of erstwhile undivided Adilabad district, and the plains tribe of Lambada came into the open on Friday following an incident of vandalism at the tribal museum at Jodeghat in Kerameri mandal of Kumram Bheem Asifabad district late Thursday night.
A statue of a Lambada woman in traditional attire in the museum was vandalised by the adivasis causing the Lambadas to stage protest across the Agency mandals.
According to eyewitnesses, a group of Raj Gonds went to the museum on Thursday night and burnt down the figurine of a Lambada woman maintaining that Lambadas did not participate in the famous Kumram Bheem uprising against the Nizam in 1940. “There is no rationale for displaying the statue of a woman from the tribe which has settled here illegally,” accused a Raj Gond activist supporting the incident.
On Friday, Lambadas staged protest dharnas at Utnoor, Kadem, Jainoor, Narnoor and Kerameri mandal. They burnt the effigy of Telangana TDP Adilabad district president and former Boath MLA Soyam Bapu Rao who allegedly committed the offence.
The tribals in Adilabad district charge the Lambadas with illegally obtaining ST certificates and taking up government jobs and drawing other benefits meant for genuine tribals. “By doing so, they have edged us out and caused enormous loss to Adivasis,” another aboriginal tribal pointed out.