Community ‘begs’ for identity ‘Literacy, best way to empower nomads’

There are 12 crore of nomads in India. The nomadic tribes consist of tribes such as the Nari Koravars, Paliyars, Kaatu Naickers, Sholigars, whip dancers, leather puppet showmen, circus performers. Speaking to DTNext, experts claim that the main problem attached with nomads is the lack of education. 

Many nomadic students who now study are first-generation graduates. Education is an important tool that can empower them and free them from the backwardness. There are many special provisions for nomadic children. Apart from free education, they are also given free hostels and unlike for other sections of Dalits who had to undertake entrance examination there is no entrance exam for the government hostels. With the help of the provision close to 800 nomadic students were admitted at various schools last year. 

The nomads need an organisation to fight for them at the national level. Dalits and Scheduled Tribes have many organisations to fight for their rights and they had many noted leaders like Kanshiram but there is no one for the nomads. Third important factor that is needed for nomads is representation. When the problems of nomads are taken to the attention of political leaders, initially they agree but do not discuss it at the parliament. As most nomads do not have proper documents such as voter ID cards they are marginalised and though they have a population of 12 crores they are still broken pieces. Only a proper representation can ward off their problems claimed an expert.

Nomads who are now following a sedentary lifestyle are demanding an identity. They are clamouring for a community certificate. Chinnakannaiya, a nomad from Madurai, claimed that his main occupation was to beat himself with a whip in the public and beg. He would bleed from his lashes every day and hence did not want his son, Padayappa, too to take up the profession. Chinnakannaiya explains that he has educated his son despite facing a plethora of problems in his life but today, he is unable to proceed further as they do not possess a community certificate. “Without a community certificate, I am unable to avail the benefits given to our community and therefore I was forced to admit my son in a college only under the general category,” said Chinnakannaiya. Though he had petitioned the district administration several times he was not given the community  certificates. “Without a community certificate we cannot establish our identity and a large number of my people are struggling without proper identification,” he added.

Experts claimed that if nomads need to get community certificates they should have been certified by anthropologists. The anthropologists should carry out a study about the nomads and then certify them. Only then officials in the rank of deputy collectors can issue a community certificates for them under the Scheduled Tribes category.