Parliament okays Bill to give tribal status to Betta-Kuruba community in K'taka

The Parliament on Thursday approved a Bill to include 'Betta-Kuruba' along with 'Kadu Kuruba' in the list of Scheduled Tribes in Karnataka.

The Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Fourth Amendment) Bill 2022, which was passed in Lok Sabha on Monday, passed in Rajya Sabha on Thursday.

Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda, while piloting the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Fourth Amendment) Bill 2022, said that it seeks to provide justice to the Betta-Kuruba community of Karnataka. The community has only 5,000 members living in Karnataka, the minister said.

"The state government of Karnataka has requested to include 'Betta-Kuruba' community as a synonym of 'Kadu Kuruba' in entry 16 in the list of Scheduled Tribes of Karnataka," said the statement of objects and reasons of the Bill.

Once the Bill is approved by the Parliament and the rules are framed, the members of the Betta-Kuruba community will be entitled to all benefits which are provided to the members of the Scheduled Tribes, especially reservation in educational institutions and government jobs, the minister said.

Attacking the Congress for not participating in the discussion, Munda alleged that the Congress has not done anything for the welfare of the tribal community and is now shedding crocodile tears.

This is very a important legislation to give justice to the most deprived community. But unfortunately the Congress party members were not in the House to debate on this, he said.

The members of 'Betta-Kuruba' community have been living in Chamarajnagar, Kodagu and Mysuru districts of Karnataka. They have been demanding that they be included in the ST category.

Led by the Congress, the entire Opposition boycotted the Rajya Sabha proceeding for the day on Thursday, after a discussion on the China border issue was disallowed in the House.