List of denotified communities of Tamil Nadu

According to The Hindu, members of Denotified Tribes Welfare Federation, Denotified Tribes Welfare Association and Various Associations of 68 Communities, stage hunger strike.

Members of Denotified Tribes Welfare Association on Wednesday staged a hunger strike seeking redressal of their long-pending demand for ‘reclassifying’ 68 de-notified communities (DNC) as de-notified tribes (DNT).

Desiya Then India Nathigal Inaippu Vivasayigal Sangam president P. Ayyakannu, DNT Welfare Fedration General Secrateray A.V. Marimuthu and All India Forward Bloc former MLA (Usilampatti) P.V. Kathiravan addresseda gathering of about 400 members of the associations.

The State government issued Government Order 1310 in 1979, reclassifying the DNTs as DNCs. During colonial rule, the DNTs who opposed the British rule were persecuted under the Criminal Tribes Act. "We remained a backward class because we barely had the privilege to be educated or earn high salaries" said Mr. Kathiravan.

Mr. Ayyakannu said 25 leaders went to Chennai on October 25 to meet Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami, Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam and several other officials to present their demand.

According to DNT Welfare Secretary Mr. A.V. Marimuthu said leaders from Annaithu Maravar Kootamaippu, Valayars & Booyar pervai and others went to Chennai on October 25 to meet Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami, Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam and several other officials to present their demands. And they demanding no discrimination between the reservations and other benifts while implementing between these 68 Communities during reclassification from DNC as DNT. Among these 68 communities, Maravar community is largest in population throughout the state and also highly affected during Criminal Tribes Act. General Secrateray Mr. A. V Marimuthu have also plea to the Government of Tamilnadu to consider the status of maravars who are in Backward Class list till Now, BC maravars they become nomard before of independence for their surival of living. Because of this they left out the status of denotified from government of tamilnadu during converting to Denotified Communities (DNC) and they are remain in the status of BC list (Maravars in Madurai, Theni and Tirunelveli District, etc are in BC list) as the present communities list of Government of Tamilnadu. DNT leaders also insist the Government of Tamilnadu to consider to remove Habitual Offenders Act(HOA) act and PCR Act among these 68 communities and it was still remain.

"The Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister told us that G.O. 1310 would be struck down within 15 days. It is 22 days since we last made the representation but nothing has changed," he said.

The DNTs had been fighting for their rights for at least 40 years without any respite. "The DNT community mostly consists of oppressed farmers who are usually locked in debt. Earlier, we would be given special privileges such as houses, special education and even livestock. Now, we have nothing," he said.

leaders said protests would be intensified with time if the State government fails to respond to their demand.

The following is the list of the Denotified communities of Tamil Nadu, India:

1. Ambalakarar,(Thanjavur, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Tiruchirapalli, Karur, Perambalur,Sivaganga, Virudunagar and Pudukottai Districts)
2. Maravar (Thanjavur, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Pudukottai, Ramanathapuram, Sivaganga, Virudhunagar, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi Districts)
3. Kallar (Sivaganga, Virudhunagar, Ramanathapuram, Madurai, Theni, Dindigul, Pudukottai, Thanjavur, Nagapattinam Tiruvarur,Kanchipuram District Pallavaram Municipality Pammal Near Passumpon Nagar Settlement, Chennai Otteri Near Brislee Nagar Settlement and Kallakurichi District Near, Ulundurpet, New AzizNagar Settlement)
4. Kongu Vettuva Gounder (Tiruchirapalli, Karur, Perambalur,Erode,Salem,Covai,Namakkal and Pudukottai Districts)
5. Telungapattti Chettis (Karur,Madurai,dindigul.theni.erode.trichy.Viruthunagar. sivagangai.chennai.vilupuram.kaanchipuram.Coimbatore .thiruvarur.thirupur. Perambalur. Pudukottai and all over Districts.and many States)
6. Thottia Naicker (Sivaganga, Virudunagar, Ramanathapuram, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Thanjavur, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Tiruchirapalli, Karur, Perambalur, Pudukottai, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Salem)
7. Urali Gounder (Tiruchirapalli, Karur, Perambalur and Pudukottai Districts)
8. Valayars (Madurai, Theni, Dindigul, Tiruchirapalli, Karur, Perambalur, Pudukottai,Sivaganga, Virudunagar, Erode and Coimbatore Districts)
9. Vettaikarar (Thanjavur, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Pudukottai, Thiruvannamalai District

Vettuva gounder