Dec 17, 2006 :: Irula’s political rope-trick

In north Tamil Nadu, Irulas a tribe of snake catchers is being organised by NGOs like the Bharathi Trust to participate in electoral politics. Their traditional occupation of catching snakes and rodents no longer pays them enough to live on. So Irulas are turning to education for bettering their lives. But bureaucrats immersed in stereotyped perception of what Irulas must look like or do for for a living, do not easily issue them caste certificates needed for claiming priority in education. Their habitats are neglected by local bodies responsible for providing amenities like roads.

Now Irulas are striking back. In the recently concluded panchayat elections in Tamil Nadu, they contested in 35 panchayats and won presidentship in 15. Read the full story.