SC notice to govt for inclusion of nomadic people in census

SC notice to govt for inclusion of nomadic people in census

The Supreme Court has sought a response from the government on a petition seeking inclusion of nomadic and semi-nomadic communities in the ongoing census.

A bench of justices J M Panchal and H L Gokhale on Friday issued notice to the Centre on the plea for inclusion of Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (DTNT) communities in the census.

There are an estimated 700 communities in the country which claim to be DTNT.

Out of them only 50-60 communities are listed either as SCs or STs, the petition has claimed.

According to the petition, these communities continue to be neglected as they were earlier considered to be "criminals or untouchables".

The petition filed by one Mohan Dhansing Chavhan, through counsel Nitin Meshram, has submitted that non-inclusion of the DTNTs in the ongoing census takes the focus away from their socio-economic plight.

Accusing the government for neglecting the communities, the petitioner has said, "The state is perpetrating the hidden apartheid against the DTNT communities and, therefore, it is not enumerating them in the ongoing census."

He has said their enumeration would enable the government formulate special programmes and welfare schemes for the oppressed communities on the lines of the benefits being enjoyed by the SCs and STs.

"They are the destitutes without any permanent abode to live. They do not have land, education, skill and knowledge of the present day advanced world and millions of them are sick and malnourished," the petition has said, adding, "DTNT are the neglected communities. They are under the stigma of criminality and untouchability by birth since pre-independent time."