7 months ago
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The Malayali tribal assemblage surviving successful the Bargur and Kadambur elevation regions of Erode territory has renewed its request for inclusion successful the Scheduled Tribes (ST) list, citing decades of neglect contempt repeated authorities recommendations.
Residents, led by M. Murugan, district secretary of the Tamil Nadu Scheduled Tribe Malayali Peravai, submitted a petition to the Revenue Divisional Officer, Gobichettipalayam, connected Monday (October 6, 2025). They stated that, arsenic per the 2011 Census, the State has about 3.57 lakh Malayalis, of whom around 31,200 live successful the 2 hills of the district. While the assemblage in North Arcot, South Arcot, Salem, and Namakkal districts were recognised arsenic ST nether a 1976 authorities order, those successful Erode territory stay excluded.
Historical records, including the 1918 Salem District Gazetteer, classified the Malayalis of Bargur, Kollimalai, and Bodhamalai as ST. The Lokur Committee (1965) and studies by the Tribal Research Centre, Nilgiris in 1990, 2002, and 2013 also recommended inclusion of the Bargur and Kadambur Malayalis, noting their shared taste and taste individuality with recognised ST groups successful neighbouring districts.
Official letters from the State government, in 1990, 2023, 2024, and 2025, reiterated the proposal to see the assemblage successful the ST list.
However, the request remains pending, leaving the hill-dwelling Malayalis deprived of opportunities in education, employment, and payment schemes for implicit 5 decades.
The petition urged the State Assembly to walk a solution and guardant it to the Central Government under Articles 342(1) and 342(2) of the Constitution, seeking long-overdue ST designation for the Malayalis of Erode district.
