BHOPAL: On the occasion of Vimukti Diwas , the Denotified Tribes (DNT) of Madhya Pradesh handed a memorandum demanding better living conditions, removal of their names from "Habitual Offenders List" and equality to the minister of tribal affairs Omkar Singh Markam at the Congress office on Saturday. In the memorandum, the members of the DNT tribes also asked for a census of the DNT population and reservation of seats.

Members of Nat, Kanjar, Pardhi, Sapera, Kuchabandiya communities celebrated the repeal of the Criminal Tribes Act, 1871 in their own bastis and expressed concern about the conditions of the Denotified Tribes (DNT). Many youngsters who have faced violence and discrimination at the hands of the police and so called "higher caste" people raised their voice against the behavior meted to them and demanded to put an end to it.

Udit Narayan of the Pardhi community of Gandhi Nagar basti demanded the Madhya Pradesh government to abolish the Habitual Offenders Act immediately.

He said, "Although the Government of India has repealed the Criminal Tribes Act of 1871, but the habitual offenders act is still being utilized to oppress the DNTs. The manifesto of the Congress party promised that the Congress will abolish the habitual criminal law as soon as it comes to power. But so far no steps have been taken."

"We are subjected to humiliation, assault and violence at police stations because we belong to the Pardhi tribe. The police treat us like criminals even without hearing our plea", said Aayal Bai, a Pardhi woman.

The people of Pardhi basti in Gandhi Nagar Bhopal celebrated Vimukti Divas by putting their canopy on the road and singing their traditional songs.

During the celebration in Khori village of Khajuri block, Meharban Singh, a youngster of Nat community, said that the government needs to set up camps in villages and bastis to formulate employment and caste certificates.

The head of Sapera community, Pritam Singh, resident of Rajivnagar Bakania said that prohibition of snake-charming has rendered the community useless and the government had failed to provide them alternative source of livelihood.

“Some of the members of the community have to resort to beggary to feed their families. The government should have devised alternate employment for us before banning snake-charming”, said Singh.

Minister for Tribal Affairs Markam assured the members that he will take steps to improve the condition of the people and conduct a census at state level along with providing the members of the tribes with correct caste status.

