Condemning Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting L. Murugan’s recent statement that the State government had failed to pass a resolution regarding Scheduled Tribes (ST) status for the Malayali Gounder community in the district, the Communist Party of India (CPI) announced that it will stage a demonstration in Kadambur on July 24.
According to the CPI, over 25,000 people of Malayali ethnicity reside in the Kadambur and Bargur Hills in the district. While their counterparts in other hilly regions of Tamil Nadu have been recognised as Scheduled Tribes and issued ST certificates, those in these two hill areas have not been granted similar recognition, instead being categorised simply as members of the Malayali community under the Other Castes. As a result, they have been deprived of educational and employment benefits available to ST communities, and their long-standing demand for recognition remains unfulfilled.
During a recent visit to Kadambur, Mr. Murugan reportedly stated that the delay in granting ST status was due to the State government’s failure to pass a resolution in Assembly. In response, the CPI, in a statement, strongly condemned the Minister’s remarks and clarified that the issue had been raised multiple times in Parliament by Tiruppur MP K. Subbarayan.
The statement further noted that in March 2025, Nilgiris MP A. Raja, along with Kadambur residents, met Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram in New Delhi and submitted a representation on the matter. “Even then, the issue was not addressed,” the statement said.
The CPI also pointed out that, in its various communications to the State government, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs had never requested a resolution from the State Assembly. “Instead of introducing a necessary amendment in Parliament to include Erode district in the ST list, the Union Ministry is attempting to divert the issue,” the statement said.
In protest, the CPI will hold a demonstration in Kadambur on July 24, the statement added.
Published – July 21, 2025 05:57 pm IST
