August 9th 2024.
In Bhubaneswar, the Leader of Opposition in the Odisha Assembly, Naveen Patnaik, expressed his demand for the inclusion of 169 communities in the Scheduled Tribes (ST) list of the state. He also urged for the recognition of several tribal languages in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution. Patnaik, who is also the president of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), made these requests while attending an event to commemorate the International Day of the World's Indigenous People at the party's headquarters in Bhubaneswar.
In his address to the audience, Patnaik highlighted that the BJD government had previously submitted a proposal to the central government for the inclusion of 169 communities in the state's ST list. However, this proposal has been pending for a long time. He also mentioned that the BJD government has frequently appealed to the Centre to recognize tribal languages such as Ho, Mundari, Bhumij, Saura, and others in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution. Patnaik expressed hope that the Union Government will take necessary steps in this regard soon. He emphasized that tribals make up a significant 25% of Odisha's population and their culture must be safeguarded.
Patnaik further stated that there are 64 major tribes and 13 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups living in Odisha. He shared that during his tenure as the Chief Minister, his government had taken several initiatives to protect the tribal culture. One of these initiatives was to name various institutions after prominent tribal leaders. However, the Biju Janata Dal, which had been in power for 24 consecutive years, was defeated by the BJP earlier this year.
The BJD government's efforts to preserve tribal culture were evident in the formation of a Special Development Council, which was a novel concept in the country. Patnaik proudly shared that his government had also established numerous hostels in different residential schools for tribal students. He expressed his admiration for the tribal community and reassured that the BJD will continue to work towards their development and safeguarding their unique identity.
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