Ranchi, Dec. 24: Chief minister Madhu Koda decided to champion the cause of his tribe living in neighbouring Orissa and Bengal.

He urged the chief ministers of these states to “formally” grant ST status to the Ho community, as their identity was at stake. He also intends talk to the Prime Minister over the issue.

After participating at a conference organised by the Ho and Munda tribes at Mayurbhanj in Orissa to save their linguistic and cultural identity, Koda said today that it was ridiculous that the Ho tribe was yet to be granted ST status in Orissa and Bengal. They are being forced to use other surnames like Naik, Singh, Kol, Kolha, among others to avail reservation benefits. “There are over 25 lakh Hos in Orissa alone. They have four representatives in the Assembly. Still, not a single among them have been ‘nominated’ to the state’s Tribal Advisory Committee. The Hos have been split into several compartments and hence they are little benefited by various welfare schemes. The Ho language is not being taught in schools and colleges, leave alone basic education in mother tongue. A similar condition prevails in Bengal as well,” Koda said.

His “observations” have come at a time when Assam witnessed “ugliest happenings” during protests by tribals there, who too were demanding ST status. The Jharkhand government has already requested the Centre to immediately grant ST status to the tribals who migrated from here over 150 years ago, to work in the tea gardens of Assam.