Maybe the Banjara tribals know something sophisticated political analysts don’t. For the past few years, the community has been lobbying for an all-India Scheduled Tribe (ST) label. Currently, their status varies from state to state: they are STs in Andhra, for instance, but Scheduled Caste (SC) in Karnataka, Delhi and Punjab. The ST status, apparently, gives them greater state-sponsored benefits than an SC one, hence the demand. Recently, Banjara community leaders took their demands to 10, Janpath. But not to meet Congress President Sonia Gandhi. Their appointment was with newly crowned Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi. The Gandhi scion reportedly assured them of all help and stated that the “Congress was with all tribals, backwards and Dalits”. This although Gandhi holds no government portfolio. Maybe they see this as an assurance from a future prime minister?
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