Kodandaram Slams Telangana Over Girijan Rights

Telangana JAC chairman M Kodandaram today called upon the Girijans to work in tandem to get the problems they have been facing solved.

Kodandaram was speaking at a round table conference of JAC Girijan students, in which representatives of girijan students from different universities across the state attended. He demanded conversion of Thandas into Gram Panchayats. He found fault with the Telangana government for taking over the lands that were being cultivated by Girijan farmers, under land acquisition acts. Other speakers alleged that in several areas, tribal lands were being usurped by government officials.

Speakers at the meeting also resolved to extend full support to the Girijan Students JAC which was supposedly fighting for the rights of Adivasis. They claimed that no efforts were made by the State government to protect the interests and rights of Girijan and Adivasi communities during the creation of the new districts. Progressive Organization of Women leader and CPI member Sandhya opined that there should be at least six districts for Advasis in Telangana, as per their population.

The speakers also demanded a separate system to look after education and medical facilities of Adivasis jointly by the State and Central governments.