CHENNAI: The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has recommended to the Government to send a proposal to the Centre to issue a Presidential notification specifying the Malaikuravan community as ST by invoking Article 342(1) of the Constitution based on the ethnographic report submitted by Dr Jakka Parthasarathy (Anthropologist), former Director, Tribal Research Centre, Ooty.
In the petition submitted to the Commission, E Kumar, general secretary, Adhi Pazhangudiyinar Nala Sangam, said that since 2006, SC certificates had not been issued to community residing in Mettupalayam, Keezhpachar, Koottar and Guberapattinam in Thandarampattu taluk in Tiruvannamalai. Kumar said that he had filed 69 petitions seeking issuance of community certificate specifying Malaikuravans as STs, based on the report of Dr Jakka Parthasarathy. According to the report, ‘Malakkuravan’ is also known as ‘Malaikuravan or Malakurava, Kurachetty, Kura, Kuravan and Kundrakuravan. In Tamil Nadu, the Malaikuravan community is identified as ST and included in the list of STs as per serial No.23. In Kerala, the Malakkuravan is included in the ST list (Serial No.23).
Tamils never use the word ‘Mala’ but use only ‘Malai’. So, Malakkuravan has become Malaikuravan in Tamil Nadu, but Keralalites continue to use Mala and Malakkuravan, Kumar said. The Secretary to the Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department has also instructed the Tiruvannamalai RDO to issue community certificate to the Malaikuravan applicants. However, the RDO had not issued the certificate to them, Mumar alleged.
Countering the allegations, the RDO submitted that Malakkuravan is a separate and distinct community. “If Kumar contends that Malakkuravan is also spelt as Malaikuravan, then a Presidential notification is required as per HC order dated March 27, 2017. Therefore, denial of community certificate is justified,” the RDO said.