Mysuru:  Following complaints of harassment meted out to ‘Parivara’ and ‘Talawara’ communities over the delay in issuance of ST certificates across the district, Nayaka community leaders, led by MP Pratap Simha, submitted a memorandum to M.S. Geetha, Superintendent of Police, Directorate of Civil Rights Enforcement (DCRE), Mysuru, at the Office of the Directorate in Siddarthanagar here yesterday.

They sought stern action against the officials of the Revenue Department for allegedly harassing the community people in the distribution of certificates in the Taluk Offices and also for not providing Government facilities to these communities.

The MP said that the Union Government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had approved the inclusion of ‘Parivara’ and ‘Talawara’ communities in the list of Scheduled Tribes (STs) in Karnataka last year and had issued notification already and directed the State Government to facilitate the distribution of ST certificates to these communities, he added.

He alleged that he had received complaints from people of the communities including from members of various ‘Nayaka’ community organisations over harassment to the community people over this issue.

These two sub-sects of Nayaka ST Community were deprived of reservation, other Government facilities enjoyed under the status and the community people had waged a long battle for fulfilment of their demands across the district and State, he added.

“I had struggled very hard for the inclusion of these two communities to enjoy the benefits, moved from pillar to posts at various Offices in New Delhi, even met PM Modi, Social Justice and Empowerment Department to get the status,” he said.

The Karnataka Government had also recommended the inclusion of these communities as synonyms of ‘Nayaka’ appearing at Sl.No. 38 in the list of STs in the  State, he said.

Speaking after receiving the memorandum, DCRE SP M.S. Geetha assured to look into the issue and ensure the distribution of ST certificates to ‘Parivara’ and ‘Talawara’ community people.

BJP leaders Appanna, former MLC Siddaraju, Nayaka community leaders Paduvarahalli Ramakrishna, Dyavappanayaka and others were present.