KORAPUT: Peeved over the Centre and state government’s apathy towards its demand for ST status, the Durua community is boycotting the state-level tribal festival ‘Parab’ this year. President of district Durua Samaj Tularam Durua said the community will not participate in any function organised during the festival. “Our community has been deprived of government benefits.
The community has been accorded ST status in Chhattisgarh. But in Odisha, we have been denied the status due to an error committed by field functionaries of Revenue department. As per records of the state government, the community has been listed as ‘Dharua’ instead of Durua,” said Tularam.
The community members had apprised the Koraput collector about the error a month back, he added.
Meanwhile, the community’s decision to boycott the festival has come as a jolt to locals who said the event is incomplete without the famous Durua dance. For the last 24 years, the dance of Durua community has been major attraction of the Parab festival. .
Efforts to elicit response from district culture officer Priti Sudha Jena on the matter proved futile.
Parab festival was inaugurated by ST, SC Development Minister Jagannath Saraka at sports ground of DAV College here on December 17. It will conclude on Monday.