The Human Rights Forum has demanded a commission of inquiry to study the status of various social groups availing benefits of Scheduled Tribe reservation in a bid to resolve the stand-off between Adivasis and Lambadi tribe. The forum in a release felt the commission must inquire into the allegation that a few groups listed among the STs were preponderantly availing benefits of reservation to the detriment of others. The study must also determine the nature of land ownership in the Fifth Schedule areas apart from undertaking a verification of ‘agency certificates’ issued to the Lambadas.
It was an undisputed fact that the Lambadas have cornered not just educational and employment opportunities but were also in possession of large tracts of land in Fifth Schedule region of Telangana principally and the combined districts of Adilabad, Warangal, Khammam and Mahbubnagar. The accusation of Adivasi resident in Fifth Schedule region that they were pushed out and deprived of benefits of reservation and various social welfare policies and that their lands were taken away by Lambadas was completely legitimate and well founded.
