Telangana Lambada/Banjara ST Status Dispute Returns to Supreme Court

The dispute on whether the Lambada community should be treated as a Scheduled Tribe (ST) in Telangana returns to the Supreme Court. The controversy concerns the ST status of Lambadas, also known as Banjaras, and becomes relevant now due to the matter reaching the Supreme Court again.

Lambada/Banjara Community :

Dimension	Key Details
Other names	Lambadas are also known as Banjaras.
Community status	Provides for Lambadas being a Scheduled Tribe community.
Geographical presence	Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.
Size	One of India’s largest tribal groups.
Traditional occupation	Traditionally nomadic traders and transporters of goods.
Historical economic role	Moving grain, salt, and commodities during medieval times.
Distinctive cultural markers	Distinctive dress, jewellery, and folk culture.
Language	Speaking Gor Boli (Lambadi), an Indo-Aryan language, written in Devanagari or Telugu script.
Settlement pattern	Living in exclusive hamlets called “Tandas”; Tandas are socially and administratively distinct from nearby villages.
Social structure	Being headed by a Naik (village chief), assisted by Karbhari (administrative officer) and Bhagat (religious head).
Current livelihoods (as mentioned)	Agriculture, animal husbandry, wage labour and crafts.
Famous dances	Lambadi Dance and Fire dance.
Festivals	Teej, Diwali, Holi.
Constitutional/social classification across	Provides for recognition as a Scheduled Tribe in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and several other states; in some states, they are classified as Other Backward Classes (OBCs).