In 1952, the then-government freed the De-notified, Nomadic, and Semi-Nomadic communities from the oppressive Criminal Tribes Act imposed by the British, he said in a virtual meeting with the Morcha workers, adding that to commemorate this historic moment, August 31 is observed every year as ‘Mukti Diwas’.
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BJP Rajya Sabha MP K Laxman, who is also party’s OBC Morcha national president, announced on Wednesday that countrywide programmes would be organised on August 31 to mark ‘Mukti Diwas’.
In 1952, the then-government freed the De-notified, Nomadic, and Semi-Nomadic communities from the oppressive Criminal Tribes Act imposed by the British, he said in a virtual meeting with the Morcha workers, adding that to commemorate this historic moment, August 31 is observed every year as ‘Mukti Diwas’.
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The BJP leader said these communities have long remained socially, educationally, and economically marginalised. He accused the Congress and other parties of treating them as a mere vote bank without doing anything to uplift them. The BJP government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken a meaningful action to address their concerns.
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He recalled that in January 2015, the Idate Commission was set up, which submitted its report in 2018. Based on its recommendations, the De-notified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Welfare and Development Board was formed.
He further added that the BJP government also launched the SEED Scheme, focusing on education, health, livelihood, and housing. Under the scheme, thousands of families benefited in education and healthcare, and over 3,700 women self-help groups were formed, involving nearly 47,000 women in livelihood activities.
Highlighting his intervention in Parliament, Laxman said, “On August 11, 2025, I raised the issues of Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic communities in detail in the Rajya Sabha. I have recommended adding a separate column for them in the Census and establishing a permanent National Commission.”
He noted that these communities still lag nearly 100 years behind SCs, STs, and other OBCs in terms of education and development. Currently, only six states issue DNT/NT/SNT certificates, and these are issued through a very complex process.
“It is now time for a permanent National Commission and a separate Census column to ensure proper recognition of their population,” he stressed.
He also appealed to workers to reach out to these communities on Mukti Diwas, highlighting their contributions and spreading awareness about the government’s welfare schemes.
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