Tribe Displaced: The Origins of the Katu Naicker People. The Katu Naicker Tribe, whose name translates to “Forest King,” has a long and fascinating history rooted in the hilly border areas of Valparai, where Tamil Nadu meets Kerala. Soosaiyappan, the clan leader in Tirunelveli, narrates how the community once thrived in the forests. However, an outbreak of deadly diseases, including cholera and smallpox, drove them to the plains around three centuries ago. Their traditional medicines failed to work, prompting them to migrate in search of medical aid. Today, these once self-sufficient hunters have scattered across Tamil Nadu, settling in districts like Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Dindigul, Madurai, and Tirunelveli.

Occupation: From Hunting to Fortune-Telling
Traditionally, the Katu Naicker people were hunters, relying on the forests for sustenance. However, societal and environmental changes have forced them to adapt. Many now rely on fortune-telling and other allied jobs to earn a living. Despite these shifts, some tribal members still engage in hunting small animals like squirrels, mongooses, and wild cats as part of their daily routine.

Life in Muthumalaipuram: A Daily Struggle for Survival
In the Muthumalaipuram settlement, located within the Mukkoddal town panchayat of Tirunelveli district, a group of around 18 families lives in deplorable conditions. Their homes are makeshift structures — some with thatched roofs, others without proper walls or any reliable protection from the elements. Some homes are covered with sheets, and their living spaces are no larger than 8×8 feet. There are no washrooms, no streetlights, no paved roads, and no access to clean water. These minimalistic living conditions, exacerbated by a lack of infrastructure, have defined their existence for over 25 years.

A History of Displacement and Floods
The Katu Naicker families living in Muthumalaipuram have been on the move for decades, seeking stability. Boominathan, a 59-year-old local leader, shares that the tribe first settled near a bridge before moving to their current location, which is owned by a clan member from Madurai. In 2013, floods washed away all their possessions, forcing them into a temporary shelter set up by the district administration. With the support of Jency Helen Kiruba, an Indira Fellow, the tribe received rice and groceries during their displacement. They returned to their current location after the floods receded, but still face an uphill battle for basic resources like water, electricity, and proper roads.

The Core Demand: Education and Community Certificates
Despite their dire circumstances, the tribe’s primary concern is not immediate relief in the form of money or housing, but securing a future for their children through education. This is a sentiment echoed by both their local leaders and members like Selva Arasi, the 27-year-old founder of the Sakthi Club. The Katu Naicker people’s core demand is to be officially recognized as a Scheduled Tribe (ST) and issued community certificates accordingly.

Without these certificates, their children are denied access to scholarships, college admissions, and reserved government jobs—opportunities that could significantly alter their future. The community feels that education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty, as reiterated by Soosaiyappan: “We don’t want houses or money from the government. All we want is for our children to be educated.”

A Call to Action: Support from
Local Leaders
Jency Helen Kiruba brought the plight of the Katu Naicker people to the attention of local authorities, prompting a visit from the Honourable Member of Parliament, Tirunelveli, Robert Bruce. During his visit, he was appalled by their living conditions and immediately contacted officials from the electricity board and local panchayat. As a result, streetlights were installed, and pipes for drinking water were laid, with a promise of supply within 15 days. Although this progress was welcomed, the central issue of community certificates remains unresolved.

Obstacles to Recognition: Outdated Anthropological Tests
The process of obtaining community certificates for the Katu Naicker people has been hindered by outdated anthropological practices. According to the Tribal Welfare Department of Tamil Nadu, the tribe predominantly speaks Telugu, while historical records classify the Katu Naickers as Kannada speakers. This discrepancy, based on a 1997 publication from the Anthropological Survey of India, has caused delays in granting them ST status.

However, court rulings, including those from the Supreme Court and High Court, have clarified that cultural or linguistic shifts should not be used as criteria to deny community certificates. Despite this, these outdated tests are still being applied. Recently, the community was called by the Subdivisional Magistrate to present their case, and they are hopeful that a site visit will result in a favorable decision.

Rethinking Identity:
A Question of Justice
The Katu Naicker Tribe’s struggle raises broader questions about identity and justice. How can we rely on historical assumptions about language and occupation to define a community’s status today? As societies evolve, so do cultural practices. Even children of IAS officers and judges are granted community certificates based on their ancestral heritage, not their current way of life. Why, then, should the Katu Naicker people be denied the same rights?

The Way Forward: Hope Amid Despair
There are small but significant rays of hope. The local town panchayat chairman, Lakshmanan, has assured the community that clean drinking water will be provided within 15 days under the AMRUT scheme. However, the true hope of the Katu Naicker people lies in the education of their children. If their children can complete their schooling and enroll in colleges, they will have the opportunity to secure respectable jobs and improve their families’ lives.

Relevant Government Orders and Legal Precedents on Community Certificates for Tribal Communities
The issue of community certificate denial for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status, such as in the case of the Katu Naicker Tribe, revolves around several important legal precedents and government orders. Below are some key references related to community certificates and the processes surrounding their issuance for tribal communities:

  1. Supreme Court and High Court Judgments on Affinity Tests
    The Supreme Court and several High Courts in India have ruled that while anthropological or affinity tests may assist in determining tribal status, they should not be the sole determining factor. Community certificates must not be denied solely based on factors like language or occupation, which may have evolved over time.

Kumari Madhuri Patil & Anr vs Addl. Commissioner, Tribal Development & Ors (1994): This landmark judgment laid down guidelines for verifying the status of individuals claiming to belong to Scheduled Tribes or Scheduled Castes. The Supreme Court clarified that while verifying the legitimacy of a claim, administrative bodies should not rely entirely on anthropological tests but rather consider the individual’s overall context (Citation: AIR 1995 SC 94).

Government of India Circular on Issuing of Community Certificates
Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs Circular No. 35/1/72-R.U(SCT) Dated 2.5.1975: This circular states that when doubt arises about an individual’s claim for ST status, linguistic or occupational changes should not automatically disqualify them from receiving a community certificate. If a community was historically recognized as a Scheduled Tribe, these factors should not result in the denial of their legal status.

Relevant Section: Focus on non-discrimination based on cultural shifts like language changes.

Anthropological Survey of India Report (1997)
Anthropological Survey of India (1997): This study, cited in cases like the Katu Naicker, discusses the linguistic and cultural heritage of various tribes. However, courts have ruled that this type of anthropological data should not be given overriding legal authority in determining community certificate eligibility. For example, the fact that the Katu Naicker now speak Telugu, while historically they spoke Kannada, should not obstruct their claim for ST status.

Tamil Nadu Government Orders and Guidelines
The Tamil Nadu government has issued various guidelines for issuing Scheduled Tribe certificates.

G.O. (Ms) No. 153 dated 20.09.2010 by the Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare Department: This order outlines the verification procedure for granting ST certificates. It highlights that applicants’ claims should not be rejected solely based on linguistic or occupational differences if they belong to a historically listed Scheduled Tribe.

Supreme Court Ruling on Tribal Identity Verification
K.V. Jeevarekha vs The State of Tamil Nadu (2019): The Supreme Court of India reiterated that community certificates should not be withheld based on minor variations in lifestyle or language, provided that the core identity of the tribal group is established.

These government orders and court judgments reinforce that the criteria for issuing community certificates must be flexible to account for the evolution of language and occupation within tribal groups. Denying the Katu Naicker Tribe community certificates based on outdated anthropological classifications would violate the spirit of social justice as enshrined in these legal precedents.

A Plea for Justice: Will the Dravidian
Model Deliver?
Tamil Nadu, under its Dravidian model of governance, has long prided itself on social justice. However, this model is incomplete if communities like the Katu Naicker Tribe remain unrecognized and marginalized. The government must act swiftly to ensure the tribe receives the community certificates they need for their children’s education and future prospects. Education should not be a privilege reserved for the few, and it is time the Katu Naicker people are granted the justice they have long sought.

About the Author
Dr. Daniel S. David, a consultant radiologist by profession, is deeply involved in social advocacy through his membership in the All India Professionals’ Congress. With a medical degree from the prestigious CMC Vellore, he has devoted much of his time to highlighting the struggles of marginalized communities. He believes that education and equitable access to government services can transform the lives of underprivileged groups, and he writes extensively to advocate for social justice and systemic change in Tamil Nadu.