Laxman urges Centre to assist DNT communities
Raising the issue in the House on Monday, he drew the attention of the Centre to 'one of the most deprived and historically marginalised communities, the Denotified, Nomadic, and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (DNTs).'
He said that it is estimated that their population has grown in numbers and these communities have a long history of resistance against foreign invaders and British rule.
However, the colonial regime unjustly labelled them as 'criminal tribes' under a series of legislations. Although the Criminal Tribes Act was repealed in 1952, these communities have remained excluded from the constitutional framework 'ever since, with no dedicated article, no mention in any schedule, and no category in reservations.'
Due to their nomadic culture, these people have no permanent housing, education, or access to any healthcare. He stated that 44,000 of them have benefited from the Scheme for Economic Empowerment of DNTs (SEEDs) by the present government, but many of them still 'remain at the margins and are systematically made invisible.'
He urged the government to include a separate column for DNTs in the upcoming caste-based censuses. This critical step, he said, would provide the necessary data for evidence-based policymaking and help ensure justice, recognition, and development for these long-neglected citizens of our democracy. He also called for the government to consider forming a dedicated DNT/NT/SNT commission, as recommended by the Dada Idate Commission.
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