PUDUCHERRY: Leader of Opposition in Puducherry Legislative Assembly and state DMK Convenor R Siva on Sunday urged the Union government to grant recognition to Puducherry Narikuravars as a Scheduled Tribe (ST) in the list for the Union Territory (UT).
He said that the community in the UT was extremely backward and that they needed to be provided social justice. This comes after the inclusion of Narikoravan and Kuruvikaran communities of Tamil Nadu in the list of STs in that State.
When the people of Puducherry fought for recognition of several communities as STs, the DMK had supported them. Hence, communities like Irulars were recognised as STs and given a reservation of 1%. Though a similar demand was made to include Kattunayakan, Malaikuravan, Yerukkula, and Malai Kuruman in the ST category, it was yet to be addressed, he said.
Now that the Union government has approved the inclusion of Narikuravar community in Tamil Nadu in the ST list for that State, Puducherry government should speak to the Union government and take needed action. It would help the youth of these communities get social justice in education and employment, he said