ADILABAD: Tension prevailed for a while in Utnoor as tribal leaders and residents broke the window panes of the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) office and vandalised the cars parked on the premises on Monday. Earlier in the day, leaders of the Adivasi Hakkula Porata Samithi (Thudum Debba) and several tribal community members staged a protest in front of the ITDA office demanding withdrawal of the resolution recommending inclusion of 11 communities in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) list.
AHPS district president Godam Ganesh along with other leaders said the inclusion of Lambadas in the ST list was unfair. “They migrate from other States like Maharashtra, where they are BCs, and claim government benefits by forging caste certificates. The original inhabitants of the land lose out on reservation benefits due to such resolutions,” they remarked.
However, as the protest began gathering steam and more people joined in, it went out of control with many agitators resorting to stone pelting on the ITDA office and damaging the cars including that of ITDA chairman in the parking area.
When Superintendent of Police (SP) D Uday Kumar Reddy tried to pacify the protesters, they blocked the road and raised slogans demanding the withdrawal of the resolution and distribution of patta (land deeds) for Podu farmers.
Later, ITDA in-charge project officer K Varun Reddy spoke to the protesters and assured them that their grievance would be brought to the notice of the State government. He said as many as 25,000 farmers will receive pattas in the coming two weeks.