Govt should grant ST status to all synonyms of Kurumans: Nanjappan

New Delhi, Dec 10 (UNI) Senior Tamil Nadu Congress leader N Nanjappan today urged President Pratibha Devisingh Patil to personally intervene in ensuring that the tribal Kurumans community secured its due rights as Scheduled Tribe (ST) in the country.

In a two-page letter, addressed to Ms Patil, Mr Nanjappan pointed out that communiti+es like the Kuruma, Kuruman, Kurumba, Kurumba Gounder, Kurumban and Kurumbar along with Kurumans, were all from the single community of Kurumans and it has been proved by the Tribal Research Centre Otagamond (OoTy) of Nilgiri district also.

However, in the absence of any Central clarification on this, the tribal community could not avail the fruit of development meant for them.

Mr Nanjappan has requested Ms Patil that the Centre could either clarify the same or introduce an amendment to this in Parliament so that those backward tribal community were not be deprived any more.

Mr Nanjappan also submitted a similar memorandum to Social Justice Minister Mera Kumar and Tribal Affairs Minister P R Kyndiah.

UNI