The Scheduled Caste Kalinga Kalandi Kandara Baistamba Sangathan, an organisation working for the SCs in Odisha, urged for inclusion of Kalandi Baistamba in SC category.
Speaking to mediapersons in a Press conference held here on Monday, organisation president Sudarsan Das said that Kalandi Baistamba and Kandara Baistamba are Kandara by caste and belong to the Dalit community, but the Government has been considering them in the SEBC category depriving them of benefits provided to the SCs.
They have been known as Baistamba since years as they perform as priests and do religious works. But the very title has been a reason why they have been deprived of the SC tag and the Government benefits, said Das.
“So we demand the State Government to consider our pleas and add Kandara Baistamba in SC list,” said Das. Among others, organisation members from several districts spoke and demanded the status.