Kattunayakan community members demand community certificates

More than 300 people besieged the Sivaganga District Collectorate demanding Kattunayakan community certificates here on Wednesday.

Over 300 Kattu Nayakan families reside in the Senjai Pappaa Urani area of Karaikudi, Sivaganga district. Traditionally engaged in occupations such as fortune-telling, these families have spent years fighting to secure their Kattu Nayakan community certificates.

Several years ago, following the submission of an anthropological report, the local Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) reportedly denied their requests for Kattu Nayakan community certificates. Driven by the plight of their school graduates who remain blocked from pursuing higher education, the affected families staged a siege at the Sivaganga District Collectorate.

Collector P. Akash subsequently held talks with them. He assured them that action would be taken after conducting a re-field inspection through the Sub-Collector. Following this, they gave up the protest and dispersed.

The affected people said, “We have been continuously applying for the community certificate at the Devakottai RDO office. However, the community certificate has not been issued so far. This has severely affected our children who are willing to take up higher education and secure scholarships.”

Mr. Akash said, “I have instructed the Sub-Collector to review the previous rejection order regarding the Kattunayakan community certificate. A detailed inquiry will be conducted and a final decision will be made.”