Adivasi organizations have joined Asha workers in urging film stars not to attend the Kerala government’s upcoming declaration of the state as “extreme poverty-free,” labeling it a “misleading, election-driven political move.”
In a joint statement, the Adivasi Gothra Mahasabha and the Adishakti Summer School criticized the declaration, scheduled for November 1, Kerala Formation Day, for obscuring the realities faced by marginalized communities, including Adivasis, Dalits, and fisherfolk. They contended that inviting prominent actors such as Mohanlal, Mammootty, and Kamal Haasan to the event seeks to “legitimize a false narrative” and urged them to withdraw, asserting, “Kerala cannot be called free from extreme poverty while we continue to live in misery.”
The groups enumerated pressing socio-political issues, including poverty, hunger, landlessness, homelessness, unemployment, diseases, and inadequate social security schemes. They argued that the forthcoming declaration aims to obscure these grim realities for political gain. Citing studies and government data, they noted that 64,000 families are officially identified as extremely poor, with only 5% being Adivasis, 20% Dalits, and the remaining 75% from other groups—figures the organizations deem “deceptive.”
The statement highlighted alarming health indicators among Adivasi communities in Wayanad, reporting that over 50% of tribal children are undernourished, with high rates of anemia among women and children. It pointed out that tribal populations such as the Paniya, Adiya, Kattunayakan, and Vettakuruma predominantly live in conditions of landlessness, homelessness, and unemployment, with many families residing in dilapidated huts along riverbanks and government lands.
Research findings were cited, with a 2020 study indicating that 59% of tribal children were underweight and 52.3% were stunted. A subsequent 2022 study in the International Journal of Community Medicine & Public Health reported that 54.8% of children under five in Wayanad suffered from malnutrition.
The statement emphasized that declining agricultural employment—particularly for women—has exacerbated poverty and nutritional deficiencies. They noted that mechanization in paddy fields and the influx of migrant workers have displaced local job seekers, while employment schemes have benefitted only a limited number of impoverished individuals. The groups identified educated youth struggling with joblessness and highlighted that thousands earn less than ₹157 a day, the UN benchmark for daily wages.
The conditions in Attappady have also been described as dire, with the area experiencing repeated infant deaths. A study by the National Institute of Nutrition, which surveyed 20 tribal hamlets, found that 48% of children were underweight, 40% were stunted, and anemia affected 91% of children, 96% of adolescent girls, and 80% of pregnant women. Additionally, 30% of those surveyed were categorized as landless.
The statement further revealed that Dalits, fishers, plantation workers, and other marginalized groups throughout Kerala continue to face deprivation, many enduring low wages despite their essential roles in social services. The impacts of natural disasters and climate change have compounded their struggles.
“The government is trying to conceal the severe living conditions of these marginalized communities,” the statement declared, characterizing the November 1 announcement of “extreme poverty-free Kerala” as a “deceptive, election-driven political stunt.”
The organizations have called for a comprehensive survey on the socio-economic status of marginalized communities and for the implementation of sustainable welfare programs to address their needs.
Kerala plans to formally announce the eradication of extreme poverty on November 1. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan stated that Kerala will become the first state in India to achieve this milestone, calling it a “historic achievement” that aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals of “No Poverty” and “Zero Hunger.” Movie stars Mohanlal, Mammootty, and Kamal Haasan are expected to join the Chief Minister for this announcement.
Earlier, Asha workers, who earn only ₹233 daily, also appealed to the film stars to refrain from attending the ceremony, echoing the sentiment that “Kerala cannot be called free from extreme poverty while we continue to live in misery.”
Tags: Adivasi groups say Kerala’s “extreme poverty-free” claim hides harsh realities faced by marginalised communities Extract 5 SEO-friendly keywords as tags. Output only keywords, comma separated.
Hashtags: #Adivasi #groups #Keralas #extreme #povertyfree #claim #hides #harsh #realities #faced #marginalised #communities
