Darlong community is now a single Scheduled Tribe clan

Lok Sabha unanimously passed the bill to amend constitutional order

Our Bureau

AGARTALA, March 29 2022: The Lok Sabha has unanimously passed a bill aimed to include Darlong community of Tripura in the scheduled tribes list. The adoption of legislation to amend the constitutional order to include the clan was possible as persistent approach of the state government headed by Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb.

There was rare unanimity among members of treasury bench and opposition quarters in passing an amendment to the concerned act in the Lok Sabha Monday.

Some members of Lok Sabha suggested that the Centre undertakes a survey to identify other scheduled tribes and scheduled caste communities who might not have sneaked into the lists even after 75 years of Independence.

There was feeble voice heard in the house that termed the move as politically motivated, but the louder voices were in favour of the motion. Tribal welfare minister Arjun Munda asserted that the “government is committed to elevate tribal population to achieve ultimate development and progress of the country”.

The Darlong people are a small tribe living in Tripura which is home to 19 indigenous clans. The Darlong call them ‘hriam’ or ‘manmasi’ (literally meaning ‘people’).