KALPETTA: With local-body and assembly elections nearing, a wave of tribal unity is sweeping the state. For the first time, Kerala’s most marginalised tribal communities are coming together to challenge decades of exclusion from the benefits of reservation and political representation.
The Kattunayakan, Adiyan, Paniya, Urali, and Vettukuruman communities have formed a powerful front – the KAPUV Tribal Welfare Society – to demand what they call their “rightful share” in the state’s reservation and political systems.
“Reservation for tribal communities in Kerala government jobs is just 2%. There are 35 communities, yet only a few well-off groups like the Kurichiya, Mullukuruma, Malayaraya, Ulladar, Mavilar, and Karimbala have enjoyed its benefits for decades,” said Manikuttan Paniyan, executive member of the society.
He added that while some communities have access to land, education, and jobs, the poorest tribes remain trapped in deprivation. “A Paniya, Adiya, or any other minority tribe child has to fight hunger just to reach school. Most drop out before Class 10. And if one of us makes it to college, our opportunities are taken away by those who already have everything,” Manikuttan said.
The society argues that inequality extends beyond education and employment -- into the political system. Since 1967, the LDF, UDF, and NDA have together fielded 28 candidates in Wayanad’s two scheduled tribe (ST)-reserved assembly constituencies -- Mananthavady and Sultan Bathery. Of them, 24, or 85%, were from just two communities: Kurichiya and Kuruma.
“No Paniya, Urali, Adiyan, or Kattunayakan has ever been fielded by any front in five decades,” Manikuttan pointed out. “The two tribal ministers in Kerala’s history – CPM’s O R Kelu and Congress’ P K Jayalakshmi – are Kurichiyas. The rest of us remain voiceless.”
At the grassroots, too, representation is almost absent. “We, the Paniyas, are the largest tribal group in Wayanad with 69,116 members, constituting 45% of the population, yet we have no single representative in local bodies. Even for a reserved ward that includes several Paniya settlements, parties bring in Kurichiya candidates from outside,” said Manikuttan, echoing the frustration of many settlements.
Formed two years ago, KAPUV is now mobilising across Wayanad’s tribal heartlands -- from Noolpuzha to Pulpally, Thirunelly, and Edavaka -- ahead of local-body elections. The group plans to field independent candidates from marginalised tribes if mainstream parties continue to ignore their demand for fair representation. “We deserve the recognition and opportunities that others get,” Manikuttan declared. “We are done being invisible. If political parties continue to sideline us, we will boycott the polls. The upcoming local-body elections will be our first step, and we are ready to stand on our own.”
‘Major social awakening’
Experts see this as a historic shift in Kerala’s tribal politics. According to Dr Hareendran P, assistant professor and former head of the department of rural and tribal sociology at Kannur University, the disparity within tribal groups has deep historical roots.
“The Kurichiya and Kuruma communities were traditional landowners. They held large tracts of land and lived agrarian lives, while the Paniyas and Adiyas were agricultural labourers working for them. Even after Independence, the hierarchy persisted. The Kurichiyas retained their land and advanced economically, while others remained landless,” he explained.
The new consolidation is a major social awakening, Dr Hareendran stressed. “For the first time, smaller tribes like the Paniya, Adiya, and Kattunayakan are joining forces to demand sub-reservation and fair representation within the ST quota. This movement isn’t about excluding others; it’s about ensuring those left behind finally get a chance to rise.”
Adivasi Gotra Maha Sabha state coordinator M Geethanandhan also called for long-term legislative action. “A comprehensive reservation act is the only solution,” he said. “It should be passed by Parliament to ensure each tribal community gets representation according to its population.
At the same time, all tribes should be able to compete within the common reservation pool. Kerala has implemented the reservation system strictly, but it’s not enough. The Paniya, Adiya, and other marginalised communities deserve special consideration and support, including targeted training for better education and jobs.”
After years of being invisible in the corridors of power, Kerala’s most marginalised communities are no longer asking to be heard -- they are demanding it.
