PIL for upliftment of de-notified nomadic tribes: HC seeks Centre's stand

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought a response from the Centre on a plea seeking formulation of schemes for the upliftment of de-notified nomadic tribes like the 'Banjara' and the 'Gadia Luhar'.

A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice C Hari Shankar issued notices to the ministries of social justice and tribal affairs, seeking their stand on the public interest litigation (PIL) that wants such nomadic and semi-nomadic tribes to be brought into the mainstream.

Salek Chand Jain, who moved the PIL, has contended that despite formation of several commissions by the central government for upliftment of these tribes, nothing has been done till now.

Jain, who claims to be a social worker, has also contended that such tribes were branded as criminals by the British, during their rule in India, as they had participated in the 1857 revolt.

The petition claimed that the British enacted the Criminal Tribes Act to marginalise such communities and to prevent them from settling in one ...