Parliament passed a bill on 22 December to include the Betta-Kuruba community in the list of Scheduled Tribes (STs) in Karnataka by passing the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Fourth Amendment) Bill, 2022. The community will be included as a synonym of the already included Kadu Kuruba tribe in the list.

“The state government of Karnataka has requested to include ‘Betta-Kuruba’ community as a synonym of ‘Kadu Kuruba’ in entry 16 in the list of Scheduled Tribes of Karnataka,” the statement of objects and reasons of the bill stated.

The bill was piloted by Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda in the Upper House who stated that the bill seeks to provide justice to the Betta-Kuruba community, which has only about 5,000 members living in Karnataka.

Munda further said that Congress has not done anything for the welfare of the tribal community and is now shedding crocodile tears.

The members of the Betta-Kuruba community will be entitled to all the benefits provided to the STs, especially reservation in educational institutions and government jobs, after the approval of the bill by the Parliament and the rules framed by the Centre.

Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Dola Sen supported the bill but asked the government to bring comprehensive legislation covering the tribes of all the states.

She also sought the status of a proposal from the West Bengal government to include 11 communities in the list of Scheduled Tribes for the state.