A delegation of the Tribal Protection Forum Madhya Pradesh on Thursday called on Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan at his residence. The delegation comprised head of Tribal Protection Forum Kalu Singh Mujalda, Regional Tribal Communication Head Shyama Ji Tahed Yogiraj Parte, Manohar Awasya, Lakshminarayan Bamne and Surabhi Atram.

A letter of proposal given by the forum to Chief Minister Chouhan states that the converted tribes should be removed from the Scheduled Tribes list and their reservation should be cancelled.

The proposal letter of the Tribal Protection Forum further states that total justice should be meted out to the actual tribals by providing them with the prescribed facilities. In 2010, the forum launched a signature campaign for a referendum on the subject, which was signed by more than 27 lakh tribal people. The then Member of Parliament, tribal leader Late. Karthik Uraon had handed over an application with the signature of 235 Lok Sabha members to the then Prime Minister in the year 1970.

In this regard, converted tribals were considered ineligible for reservation in the recommendation of the Joint Parliamentary Committee of the Scheduled Castes / Tribes Order (Amendment) Bill, 1967. An amendment of this kind was also made in the year 1950. Converts who are economically and academically in a better position are taking advantage of the facilities. The proposal letter states that delegations of several tribal leaders including tribal leader of Madhya Pradesh Late.

Dilip Singh Bhuria have also submitted applications and memoranda in this connection from time to time. This issue has also come up in the Lok Sabha recently.