Adivasis in the tribal areas of the two Telugu states - Andhra Pradesh and Telangana - observed a complete shutdown on Tuesday in protest against a recent judgment of the Supreme Court, scrapping a government order providing 100 per cent reservation to tribals in the recruitment of teachers in the scheduled areas.
Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao announced that his government would file a review petition in Supreme Court, seeking 100 per cent reservations for STs in tribal area for teacher’s recruitment.
The bandh was observed following a call given by Adivasi Employees and Teachers’ Associations, Adivasi Hakkula Sangham (Adivasi Rights Group), Girijana Sankshema Sangham (Tribal Welfare Group) and Tudum Debba. Even the outlawed CPI (Maoist) extended support to the bandh call.
Shops and business establishments in as many as 11 blocks in the tribal areas of Visakhapatnam downed their shutters. In Seethampeta tribal area, tribals squatted on the roads raising slogans against the Supreme Court orders, bringing the vehicular traffic to a halt. They demanded that the state government file a review petition.
Similar protests were held by adivasis at Buttaigudem, Polavaram and other mandals of the West Godavari district seeking reservation as per the government order. Polavaram MLA Tellam Raju promised to bring the issue to the notice of Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and tribal welfare minister Pushpa Sri Vani and do justice to the tribals.
{{/usCountry}}Similar protests were held by adivasis at Buttaigudem, Polavaram and other mandals of the West Godavari district seeking reservation as per the government order. Polavaram MLA Tellam Raju promised to bring the issue to the notice of Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and tribal welfare minister Pushpa Sri Vani and do justice to the tribals.
{{/usCountry}}On April 22, a five-judge constitution bench, led by Justice Arun Mishra, struck down a government order (GO No. 3 of 2000) issued by the Andhra Pradesh government which had provided absolute reservation for members of the STs for teaching jobs in the scheduled areas. The apex court ruled that the reservations should not exceed the 50% limit.
The bench also interpreted its judgment prospectively, not “retrospectively”, and held that the existing appointments made in excess of 50% reservation shall survive but shall cease to be effective in the future, providing relief to the tribal teachers who have already been appointed.
The tribals have been agitating in protest against this judgment, stating that it would severely affect their rights.
In Telangana, a complete bandh was also observed in Utnoor, Indravelli, Narnoor, Gandiguda, Jainur, Sirpur agency areas of Adilabad district. Buses were confined to their respective depots in Utnoor. Police teams were deployed in the area to prevent any untoward incidents during the shutdown time.
In Venkatapuram area of Mulug district of Telangana, there was a clash between the tribals and security forces, as the latter tried to foil the enforcement of bandh. The shopkeepers voluntarily closed down their operations in support of the bandh call.