State level Consultation for Denotified & Nomadic Tribes (DNTs), Tamil Nadu Venue: YMCA, Madurai Date: 22-11-2013

Visit to habitats & DNT Martyrs Memorial

Discussions

With Mrs. Maheswari, T N Nomads Federation & Dr. Nallagaman, Director, P M R Devar chair, M K University

The Consultation

Keynote Address – Sri. Annadurai DNT communities are spread all over the country, with different names in different states. Denotified and Nomadic tribes are living as small groups in micro habitats which are thinly spread all over the state, 70% of parimalai kallars are suffered without source of livelihoods and children of these community are being taken as contract labor for manufacturing of ‘Murukku’ within and outside the state, children are also working in the spinning mill as contract labor, Kal ottar community is living in a of a state of insecurity, due to the ban of stone quarrying and not provided with the alternatives, they are working at low wages as construction laborers, without any job security, Nari kuravar community in spite of recent Scheduled Tribal status majority of them are living as nomads in the road margins. Valayars don’t know who are they, they are not clear about their identity, traditionally they were snake and rat catchers and use to eat rats. The snake catching banned as per the law and they were not provided with alternatives, today Valayars are working as construction laborers, street vendors and ultimately they have forgot hunting which was their main source of livelihood, another community is Lambadi, whose source of livelihoods are uncertain and their living conditions are very poor, political parties are using us DNTs as curry leaves, unless we become organized and learn to fight for our rights our lives will continue like this. Each community has different kind of problems, bringing these communities together, not an easy task. Initially felt it would be hectic and impossible task to identify and bring them for a cohesive action and along with consensus due to the different factions of DNTs and felt happy that the consultation became a reality today. Still some of the Parimali kallar leaders are may be thinking that, by sitting along with the Narikuruvars is below their dignity, but all of us Nomads and we should respect each other. Emphasized with the participants not to raise voice regarding their particular community unilaterally, but raise voice by taking the DNTs of Tamil Nadu as a whole, to arrive at sustainable solutions for the Issues and problems at the state level, so that to integrate in the national level policy decisions, which will promote equity and equality among the Denotified and Nomadic communities, along with changing the discriminatory mindset and removing exploitative practices prevailing among the polity, policy makers and general public. One representative from each Denotified and Nomadic community were invited to the dais for delivering their messages and declared opening of the session.

Messages of the Dignitaries

Prof. Jayaraj, Former Director, Pasumpan Muthu Ramalinga Thevar Chair,Madurai Kamaraj University There is an immediate need for organizing the individual communities among the Nomads and Denotified tribes with a consented common strategic approach towards finding solutions. Emphasis for consistent research and study regarding the conditions of the DNTs needed all over the country, since Intolerance, prejudice and harassment prevailing at all levels towards DNTs and these issues were not highlighted and brought to the forefront. Those nomadic tribes and communities struggled for their liberty, autonomy and rights were notified as "criminal tribes" under the Criminal Tribes Act, 1871, by the British government. The process for enumeration and classification of DNTs should be made an integral part of the on-going Socio-economic and Caste Census (SECC), the destitution faced by Piramalai Kallars, Nari Kuravars, Valayars, Kal Vottar, Kurumbans along with more than 90 NT & DNTs communities in TamilNadu is discussed in detail along with the statesmanship and struggle of Pasumpon Muthu ramalinga Thevar for the liberation of these communities.

Advocate K.Surendran

Heard Criminal Tribes in 1990, from the students of the Gandhi gram university and understood the destruction caused without any one knowledge, being the sufferers as CTs, never bothered about our brethren who equally suffered like us, started collecting information about CT from national archives, learnt about the DNT Commission by the AB Vajapayee government, the commission was having a time boundary of 18 months, and submitted the report along with recommendations, but even after 5years, government is sitting on that report, by neither tabling in the Parliament nor rejecting the recommendations. Decision making is concentrated in the hands of a powerful north Indian community called Jatav, the first person of Jat and second person of Yadav, as ‘Jatav’ ruling the roost and keeping the commission on the back burner. One can change religion, but not the cast, we discriminate our own people by denying, sitting along with a nomad since he is a pig breeder. While in the mainstream Brahmin is on the top of the ladder, chakkilian is in the bottom, but we among ourselves have different kind of layers. We call ourselves as Mukkalthor, but who are these, this word is marriage of convenience, we were cooking and doing watch

and ward in the nattukottai chettiyaar houses, and hence that name was given. We are feeling that we are the only high among the society and down grade other DNTs like Koravar and this is absurd, because in democracy numbers will count ultimately, if we don’t bother about our nomad brothers and sisters then who will, we are 1/3 rd of the total population in Madurai and hence Muthu ramalinga thevar always won. We are to prepare ourselves for the struggle. As for the CT Act is concerned, this Act has been introduced as part of business interests of the upper castes who are loyal to the Britishers, alienation of rights over the resources and introduction of the CT act is simultaneous, when some local ruler rebelled against the Britishers, we have supported the rebel against the wishes and hence included in the CT list, parimalai kallars were providing traditional police services and hence were collecting taxes, when the Britishers taken away that right they rebelled hence they were labeled as CTs, we are one of the service communities of the society unless we learn to work along with other, NT and DNTs our development and liberation is not possible.

Vinnarasi Malliga, Karaikudi

Kallars are mistaken as thieves and the places of habitation are even projected as fearsome, and troublesome to the society. Understanding about the community is less. 20 years before Parimali Kallars were DNTs (Denotified Tribes) and now they are DNCs (Denotified communities) what happened in between, where this problem does get buried up. What’s happening to the funds allocated to the DNTs, why we shouldn’t check the misuse of those funds? Getting a certificate as DNT is difficult and every time we have to go Usulampatti, I use to think, we Parimalai kallars are the only DNTs in Tamil Nadu and when Mr. subbarao gave the list of DNTs in our state, I was astonished to find 64 different names in the list. We as DNT(C)s are entitled to certain economic privileges from the central government and every year funds are being allocated but we could never access, to access the schemes and privileges from the government we need a national level organization like NCDNTHR. Because majority of the jobs like privileges are being taken by the upper caste Brahmins, remaining are with Scheduled castes, in between there are backward classes, in to the category we were dubbed unscrupulously, where we doesn’t have any scope as DNTs, since we don’t have constitutional status. As DNTs P. Kallars have schools, but how many teachers are from us in those schools, while our youth loiter without employment, why others are given jobs in the schools meant for us. By coming together at the state level and by working united at national level, we could find solutions to these problems.

Mahendran, Trichi

From the Narikuravar community, residing in the Devanayagam area in the Trichy district over the last 22 years, recently the community included in the ST by the central Government, over the last 50 years we are struggling, but now it may be difficult to compete with the ST communities who were the early birds, forums like this will show us the way in availing the benefits as STs, I got an interview and in spite of getting through the interview could not get due to my non ST status t that time. Then only could understand about the SC, ST, B C status. Couldn’t become familiar with these statuses, due to the life style of hunting and selling needles in the streets and none of the fore fathers were educated. Those were educated has decided to work for the well being of the community and organized a gathering of one lakh people, passed a resolution and subsequently central government bestowed ST status. The decision got a stiff opposition from a Tribe called Mala-yalee, but ultimately status has been conferred. We hope the NCDNTHR will help us in solving various issues, because the national convener told that, SC people have compromised with the upper caste society, while we as Tribes fought for pour independence and rights over our territories and resources. The courts consider Nari koravars as innocent people; this community has never done any harm in this country.

Dr.Solomon Selvam, Professor Sociology & History, Claflin University, South Carolina, USA The people dubbed as Criminal Tribes are severely affected in this country, when the Britishers tried to control us, or tried to snatch away our rights we never accepted or yielded to their pressures. We are all tribes, we are fighters and warriors. In spite of many pressures over the time we are living in this country by struggling for our rights, history says that, those stays for a long time on any geographical area having every right over that land mass. We should join forces with struggles against corruption and injustice. This event became a reality due to Mr. Subbarao, he want to unite our people all over the country, because these are most affected due to the Criminal Tag, which took a long time for them to come out of the stigma. This branding affected the livelihoods, life styles and traditions and customs. We are yet to be compensated for this inhuman harassment of our people over the five generations; we were alienated from our lands in the Nayakar

era, by branding us as criminals our lands were forcefully takeaway and distributed to the communities owning biggest land holdings in this state. To voice our problems and issues we need a national level platform, NCDNTHR is meant for that purpose. We were never stood as a hurdle to the growth of other communities but we are acting as the henchmen or musclemen of the politicians or people in the power. We have to contribute to this national forum, to lobby for the policy decisions necessary for our growth and welfare at the state and central levels; this couldn’t be done by the individuals, but through the movement and we are here to support the national movement, from my side I promise to work for this organization, like wise every one of us should educate our brothers and sisters, so that all of us could contribute for the success of this movement.

Thiru N.S. Ponniah, Advocate, High court of Tamil Nadu

Parimalai Kallars one of the DNT communities in Tamil Nadu is known for their courage. While national leaders including Mahatma Gandhi raised the issue of Jalaian wallah bag in the parliament, none of them were even aware about the heroic struggle of the Parimalai Kallars in the Perungamanallur, Tamil Nadu, where 16 males and 1 female was killed in the shootout for retaliating the British police. Many struggles and sacrifices of DNT people were unnoticed and un- recorded or never brought to the lime light and there is a need for bringing this foirgotten history to the lime light. As a part of this intervention, a memorial was built in the village in memory of the martyrs, as Perungama Nallore Martirs memorial association, headed by Mr.Ponnayyan and various programs are being implemented for P.Ks. Efforts are being made to take this memorial and martyrs’ sacrifices to the notice of the state and central governments, like we were snubbed once, our history is also snubbed even today, hence there is a need for to highlighting this at the national level, we appreciate this national level effort by Rao, and this forum will take up the task of bringing our history to the notice of the nation and we are prepared to extend any kind of support to this NCDNTHR and we will come to any place where ever you invite. As Prof. Solomon Selvam said, we could achieve anything through a movement only, so that our voice could be heard, we should be united for this.

Thiru Dorai Sngam, Forward Block

In many states DNTs are in the ST list, in our state we are divided BC, MBC by the policy makers, the CT Act has been dubbed upon our people unscrupulously, Kal ottars were taken in to captivity after dubbing as CTs and forcefully made them to extract stones from the hills and build castles for the English people, like wise Koravars, who were supplying salt from the Eastern coast and sell in the mountains, while returning they use to bring spices like Inzi, for gaining control over the salt trade, by taking away from the hands of UPPU koravars, they were dubbed as CTs and subsequently the salt trade has gone in to the hands business communities of Tamil Nadu, The issue of list the DNTs as tribes is still pending, none of the DNTs are separate all are one, to bring them together today this meeting is being organized by the National Campaign, I am looking forward for certain clarifications and I promise to do my best for this movement.

Thiru Chinnayyan: Parimalai kallars rebelled against the rulers, the community have educated people and have almost 100 associations, many of them working in the political parties, but the educated among us are not helping others in the community towards their development, Britishers created irrigation system for this community but water never reached the fields, water course was hijacked by others, wse could do nothing about that.

Facilitation by M. Subba Rao

Participants are from Madurai, Trichy, Sivagangai, Dindigal and Theni districts. Totally there were

about 70 participants, of whom 10 members are from non DNTs and media, of the remaining

Parimalai Kallar is 50% and Narikuruvar is the second largest community in numbers, reaming

participants are from Valayar, Boyar,Kurumbar, lambadi, Malai Koravar,Kalottar, Mukkalothor

communities.

Denotified and Nomadic celebrities on the banner were explained along with DNT ancestor, Ekalavya, a symbol of loyalty, faithfulness, persistence and hard work, and as inheritors the legacy should be continued.

DNTs have no identity in this country; they are classified as SC, ST, B C and Minorities, since the constitution of India doesn’t included the words ‘Nomad’ or ‘Denotified’ and unless this done, DNTs of this country can’t get justice as part of other categories. Renke Commission recommended for a quota of 10% in all the categories, but over the last 5 years, the government neither accepted nor rejected the report and never table in the parliament. Less than 5% DNTs in India could access welfare and development programs and majority of the programs like MNREGA are irrelevant to the working and living conditions of DNTs, they need programs exclusively designed, with their involvement and participation. In addition to the Identity, should fight for access and control over the resources. Reservations are not the only answer, since majority of the DNTs is illiterate. There are three types of Nomads in this country, Pastoral, Peripatetic and Hunter gatherers and majority of them were dubbed as thieves under the CT Act, be proud being with DNT identity, proud for struggling for independence, liberation and rights over the resources and territories, the identity as DNTs denotes a legacy of warriors, fighters but not thieves.

Problems & Issues

Kurumbars are nomadic goat and sheep grazers, same community is in different categorization among the districts of TN. Grazing lands are dwindling and livelihoods are at stake, the forest acts are denying the grazing rights, child education is affected due to the nomadic life style. Getting caste certificate is a problem. Education levels among the Malai koravars is low, house site pattas problem, identity problem due to inclusion in various categorization, livelihood issues. Low wages for the Kalottars (1000 big stones to be broken to get Rs.500) lack of house sites and housing, working as boded labor for the contractors, migration for work as construction workers and quarry workers, low education levels below 10th class and manual laborers, threatens from the contractors. Quarrying is banned in certain districts and livelihoods lost and quarries are in the hands of upper cast investors in other districts, community is forced to remain as quarry laborers over generations. The procedures to acquire rights over quarries are bureaucratic, lengthy, time consuming, costly and corruption involved. Parimalai Kallar children are taken as child labor in the sweet meat shops all over India against advance payments of Rs.10000 per annum, victimized due to Sumangali Scheme, low education levels makes youth vagabonds and becoming musclemen to the politicians, school dropout rate is more and, 48% of the children only continue education after higher secondary level. Majority of the men are auto drivers and head loaders, livelihoods are a problem, police harassment, false cases, and discrimination from the society. Girl

children among the community are being killed as infants, Valayars have problem of livelihood, we were hunters, snake catchers, rat catchers and rat meat eaters, catching snakes considered as a crime due to the ban by the government, at present collecting herbs and medicinal plants from the forests and hills and making a living by selling them, but returns are low, in need of help making the livelihoods more remunerative. Hunters are being arrested by the forest department. Youth becoming alcoholism and roaming aimlessly with despair. Livelihoods are banned without planning or offering any alternatives. Kuravar communities face water and sanitation, supplied ration rice are not in quality, Micro finance not extended by banks, not organized, huge habitation needs, unable to exhibit their traditional skill in the modern milieu, police atrocities, involved in robbery, ill use of robbed money Not organized, vulnerable to prostitution and in Sakkimangalam 450 families have not received patta allocation, livelihood bank loans not supported. Majority of the Lambadi people Migrate in search of work for long distances, due to lack of livelihoods and child education is affected, accessing government schemes is a problem and having problems with Sumangali scheme. Nraikoravars are discriminated in the public places, child education is not available, and hunting is not possible to day, harassment from the police, municipality and temple staff while selling of beads in the public places, roads and temples, housing, ration cards etc.

Resolutions methods adopted Most of the interventions of the communities at the grass root level, complaints given at the police station, microcredit linkage through the banks in a small area, linkages with government schemes and channelizing, approached the district collector, given petitions and organized Dharna and hunger strike, identifying children in the contract labor, rehabilitation through channelizing government assistance in one area, introducing improved technologies in charcoal making in one area Organization: Who will do this work, we ourselves, to be organized, why not organized so far, a direction needed, so many meetings happening, till the next meeting nobody will bother, no direction,

what will be the benefit for the community. Organization to be done at three levels:

1. Grassroots: village/habitat; Taluka or district level: To represent issues, to highlight the problems at the district level and channelizing resources from the government.

2. State level: We should inform the programs needed for the economic and social development, our intellectuals from the DNTs will prepare the projects and at the state level our people should sit and follow up with the respective functionaries in the polity and executive machinery.

3. National level: A pressure group should be formed at the national level to follow up with the

central government, the issues received from the states to be consolidated and sent at various levels so that to follow up, along with DNT policy research and formulation.

Need for a state committee for the Tamil Nadu, to consolidate issues and problems and to forward to the DNT Central Working Committee in Delhi reiterated and the following persons expressed their willingness to be in the Committee.

List of Members in the Tamil Nadu State Committee

S.N Name Community Position

1 Mahendran Narikuravar Co-Convener

2 Amuda Narikuravar Member

3 Vijaya Narikuravar Member

4 Mahamuni Valayar Member

5 G.Kumar Lambadi Member

6 Arul Kumar Mali Koravar Member

7 Smt.Manikyam Kal Ottar Member

8 C.Murugesan Kal Ottar Member

9 Gunasekaran Kurumbar Member

10 Chinnayyan Pari Malai Kallar Member

11 Vinnarasi Mallika Pari Malai Kallar Co-Convener

12 Dr. Jayaraj Pari Malai Kallar Member

13 Annadurai Pari Malai Kallar State Convener

14 Vellakkamu Pari Malai Kallar Co-Convener

Vote of thanks: Sri.Vellakamu concluded the program by thanking all, who made it a grand success.

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