NAGPUR, DECEMBER 6: Contending for a scheduled tribe (ST) status for nearly two decades, Halba Koshti organisations here have now launched a counter-attack on other tribal communities by questioning the ST status accorded to them.Their latest salvo against the Gond and Rajgond tribes almost resulted in a clash between the two groups at the tribal welfare office here on Saturday.Entirely urban-based, with a large presence in Nagpur city, the Koshti community of weavers makes a very attractive vote bank. Several local politicians have time and again taken up their cause.Former Nagpur member of Parliament Banwarilal Purohit, who shifted from the Congress to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and then back, has consistently voiced demands in favour of the Koshtis being included in the scheduled tribes. Central Nagpur MLA Anees Ahmed, in whose constituency the weavers reside, is another to do the same. The latest to join the list is Shiv Sena MP from neighbouring Ramtek constituency, Subhosh Mohite, who isalso the Nagpur district Sena chief.However, all attempts at including this community in the scheduled tribes have been foiled by the strong lobby of adivasi MLAs who cut across party lines at the slightest sign of threat to their reservations. Former MLA and minister Baburao Madavi has been at the forefront of preventing the `psuedo-tribals' from getting any benefits. He has been instrumental in preparing a solid case with the government and with the courts of law to precisely determine who can and cannot be included in the scheduled tribes. His efforts have yielded results and various communities, despite political assurances, have been unable to derive any benefits as STs.The Halba-Koshtis are among them, as are the Gowaris. Despite the huge incident of 114 members of a Gowari morcha being killed in a stampede during a state legislature session in Nagpur in November 1994 and despite all the assurances given by the then chief minister, Manohar Joshi, this community is still bereft of any specialbenefits. The Koshtis, who claim that they belong to the `Halba' community which is listed in the schedule, have been equally unsuccessful despite numerous protests, demonstrations and agitations.
