Badugas appeal to bring them under SC category

Chennai, June 20 (UNI) The Badugas Association of Nilgris today appealed to the Centre and the Tamil Nadu Governments to bring them in the Scheduled Tribe category and extend all concessions to them as given to other scheduled Tribes.

Talking to newspersons here, Association President R Iyyaru Cowder and Patron A Halithu said during the British rule their community was under the Scheduled Tribe category. After Independence they were brought under the General category without any intimation, they claimed.

They said at present, there were 3.5 lakh Badugas living in and around Nilgiris district, and almost all of them were below poverty line. Moreover, there were several historical evidences that Badugas come under the scheduled tribe category, they claimed.

UNI