The Adivasi Hakkula Porata Samiti, better known as Tudum Debba, an organisation of aboriginal tribes in Telangana on Saturday warned the government of an agitation in case the Forest Department continued with reclaiming forest land which is under cultivation by ethnic tribe farmers.
Tudum Debba president Soyam Bapu Rao, contestant for Adilabad (ST) Lok Sabha seat from Bharatiya Janata Party, demanded that the government suspend harassment of Adivasis by way of ‘snatching’ away the lands being cultivated by them.
Mr. Bapu Rao was addressing Adivasis of undivided Adilabad district who had come to pay homage to the tribals killed in the infamous Indervelli police firing of April 20, 1981. The 38th anniversary of that incident was being observed at the martyrs memorial column near the mandal headquarters village where the Tudum Debba leader also declared to observe the anniversary next year by gathering one lakh Adivasis and other people sympathetic to their cause. The event was low key when compared to those that were held in the previous years. No rallies by the ethnic people in the accompaniment of traditional music were taken out.
The customary puja as a mark of respect to for those killed in the firing was held before noon. The Adivasi organisation handed over ₹ 10,000 each to the widows and injured persons in the firing.