StormShadow
SENIOR MEMBER
- Joined
- Jan 10, 2011
- Messages
- 3,485
- Reaction score
- -10
“You have fought a war for us. Giving us SC certificates should not be a big deal for you,” pleads Samiran Mandal, a leader from the tiny Bangladeshi refugee community at Nazrulnagar in Adilabad (ST) Lok Sabha constituency.
In the 50th year of the refugees arriving in this constituency, which incidentally coincides with the general election, young voters from the community are forcefully appealing to the powers that be to extend them the reservation under Scheduled Caste category.
About 1,700 Bengali Hindu refugee families from the then East Pakistan, mostly belonging to the Bengali Namasudra SC community, were resettled in 16 camps in Kagaznagar, Ravindranagar and Sirpur (T) revenue mandals of Sirpur Assembly constituency, which is part of Adilabad parliamentary constituency. The community with a voter population of over 13,000 strongly feels that its assimilation in the local society would be more meaningful if the voters can contribute by serving in the government.
“For government jobs we need reservation. Our children are not able to withstand the competition in open category in government jobs,” Mr. Mandal explains.
Though there are 1,500 youngsters from the community serving in the Indian Army and a score of teachers, the incidence of unemployment is comparatively higher. “I have appeared for the test for Hindi Pandit teacher but am not hopeful of getting through the exam as I do not have any reservation,” fears Biplov Roy, one of the few scores of unemployed post-graduates.
Facility withdrawn
The Bengalis, as they are locally known, were actually recognised as SCs and given reservations in 1985 by the N.T. Rama Rao government but the facility was withdrawn in 1990. “We want that facility restored,” demands Biswajeet Kumar Kar, another unemployed person who has safely kept his old SC certificate though it is hardly of any use now.
In comparison to the Nazrulnagar camps, the two Bengali villages in Koutala mandal and the one in Sirpur (T) are very backward. The 3,000 voters in these camps are mired in poverty and deprived of basic amenities.
“Granting SC reservations to our children could improve our lot,” opines Sushil Kumar Mandal, a Telangana Rashtra Samiti candidate for local Mandal Paridhad Territorial Constituency. Poverty makes most of the youngsters drop out after SSC and seek employment in construction industry.
“Reservations will also help our children pursue higher education in better institutions. We now have to pay fees in private colleges, which is beyond our capabilities,” points out Bijan Kumar Roy, a teacher.
Bangladeshi refugee voters seek SC status - The Hindu
In the 50th year of the refugees arriving in this constituency, which incidentally coincides with the general election, young voters from the community are forcefully appealing to the powers that be to extend them the reservation under Scheduled Caste category.
About 1,700 Bengali Hindu refugee families from the then East Pakistan, mostly belonging to the Bengali Namasudra SC community, were resettled in 16 camps in Kagaznagar, Ravindranagar and Sirpur (T) revenue mandals of Sirpur Assembly constituency, which is part of Adilabad parliamentary constituency. The community with a voter population of over 13,000 strongly feels that its assimilation in the local society would be more meaningful if the voters can contribute by serving in the government.
“For government jobs we need reservation. Our children are not able to withstand the competition in open category in government jobs,” Mr. Mandal explains.
Though there are 1,500 youngsters from the community serving in the Indian Army and a score of teachers, the incidence of unemployment is comparatively higher. “I have appeared for the test for Hindi Pandit teacher but am not hopeful of getting through the exam as I do not have any reservation,” fears Biplov Roy, one of the few scores of unemployed post-graduates.
Facility withdrawn
The Bengalis, as they are locally known, were actually recognised as SCs and given reservations in 1985 by the N.T. Rama Rao government but the facility was withdrawn in 1990. “We want that facility restored,” demands Biswajeet Kumar Kar, another unemployed person who has safely kept his old SC certificate though it is hardly of any use now.
In comparison to the Nazrulnagar camps, the two Bengali villages in Koutala mandal and the one in Sirpur (T) are very backward. The 3,000 voters in these camps are mired in poverty and deprived of basic amenities.
“Granting SC reservations to our children could improve our lot,” opines Sushil Kumar Mandal, a Telangana Rashtra Samiti candidate for local Mandal Paridhad Territorial Constituency. Poverty makes most of the youngsters drop out after SSC and seek employment in construction industry.
“Reservations will also help our children pursue higher education in better institutions. We now have to pay fees in private colleges, which is beyond our capabilities,” points out Bijan Kumar Roy, a teacher.
Bangladeshi refugee voters seek SC status - The Hindu
