Call to reserve H.D. Kote segment for forest-dwelling tribals

While the three major political parties are busy finalising their list of candidates for the Assembly elections, over six lakh adivasis spread across 32 taluks in nine districts are demanding that political parties reserve the Heggadadevana Kote (H.D. Kote) constituency, which has 115 haadis (tribal settlements), exclusively for forest-dwelling tribals.

Organisations representing adivasis, including the Tribal Joint Action Committee, Nagarahole Tribal Rights Restoration Committee, Development Through Education, and Budakattu Krishikara Sangha, have appealed to the three parties to field candidates from forest-dwelling tribal communities such as Soliga, Jenu Kuruba and Kaadu Kuruba, in H.D. Kote.

Pujari Gopala from Jenu Kuruba community contested from H.D. Kote in 2013 and secured 18,000 votes. Congress leader G.K. Subbaiah from the primitive tribal community represented Virajpet constituency thrice (1972–78, 1978–1983 and 1983–1985). Jaji Thimmiah, a Jenu Kuruba, got elected on Congress ticket to the Mysuru Zilla Panchayat and she was the first vice-president of a zilla panchayat from that community. Ketamma, a Soliga woman from Yelandur, had occupied the post of the vice-president in Chamarajanagar Zilla Panchayat. But none from primitive tribal communities has entered the Vidhana Soudha in the last three decades.

“Adivasis play a decisive role in 32 taluks of nine districts. But political parties refuse to recognise them, as they bank on the Naik community which is more in number,” said Mr. Ramu, president, Tribal Joint Action Committee. The number of ST constituencies went up from two to 15 after the delimitation exercise in 2008, but this has barely helped the really backward forest tribal communities.

According to Mr. Ramu, voices of adivasis will be heard in the Vidhana Soudha only when a tribal person representing 19 forest- dwelling tribal communities speaks in the Assembly. Acknowledging Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s initiative of earmarking ₹300 crore for adivasi development, he said the Congress should give ticket to a person from a primitive tribal community this time.

‘People’s manifesto’

Meanwhile, a few tribal activists from Hunsur in Mysuru district have released their set of demands for submission to the candidates. The so-called “people’s manifesto” pertains to the Hunsur Assembly constituency, which has a significant presence of tribals, a majority of whom are still not enjoying the fruits of development. The wish list includes declaration of Hunsur sub-division as a district to allow for a more focussed approach to taking up development works unique to the region.