Pleas to change their community name to ‘Vamsharaj’ have fallen on deaf ears, say members of the Pitchiguntla community.
HYDERABAD: Having carried the stigma attached to their community’s distorted name far too long,
Pitchiguntla community
has asked
Telangana Backward Caste Commission
to enumerate them as “Vamsharaj” and reclassify their caste category.
The community’s resentment stems from the fact that in common parlance, people often say ‘pichakuntla’ in Telugu which means ‘crackpot or mad’.
Classified under ‘BC-A’ category (that includes nomadic, semi-nomadic and denotified tribes), community members are seeking to be recognised and restored to what was previously known as ‘Vamsharaj’ community.
With the caste survey questionnaire referring to them as “Pitchiguntla/Vamsharaj”, members of the community feel offended when enumerators come knocking on their doors.
Appeal for change in Pitchiguntla name ignored: Community leaders
Pleas to change their community name to ‘Vamsharaj’ have fallen on deaf ears, say members of the Pitchiguntla community.
Making a renewed effort, former state president of Vamsharaj community welfare association O Narender, said, “To refer to our community using the Telugu equivalent of crackpot is an insult. In 1995, we were recognised as Vamsharaj community. But by 2008, authorities reverted to calling us Pitchiguntla community. Our appeals have consistently been ignored by successive govts.”
A senior official said renaming a community is not a complex process and that it can be done with a gazette notification.
Narender added, “As per records, we are classified under BC-A-18 category, but we are listed as BC-A-17 in the survey. Some communities within BC-A category do not share our nomadic lifestyle. We are requesting the govt to remove others from our group, reclassify us with other nomadic, semi-nomadic and denotified communities.”
AP BSP state coordinator and former DG of Telangana Anti-Corruption Bureau J Purnachandra Rao bemoaned the poor depiction of communities, especially in Telugu films. “The derogatory portrayal of communities and their depiction in an indecent manner is a significant aspect of our popular culture, particularly in cinema.
We have seen references to Pitchiguntla community in a disparaging manner in our films. The name of another community ‘Uppara’ is often mocked by the filmmakers. This trend dangerously normalises hierarchical behaviour,” he told TOI.
Vamsharaj/Pitchiguntla community resides in the erstwhile districts of Khammam, Nalgonda, Karimnagar, Rangareddy, Medak and Warangal. With a population of a few lakh, most of them make ends meet as building construction workers, others work as street vendors. Those in rural areas work as agricultural labourers.
Inukonda Thirumali, a former professor of history in Delhi University and member of the community, providing insights into the community’s historical evolution, said, “The roots of our community can be traced back to the 1800s and an era even before that.”
He said the community’s main source of income used to come from reciting ‘Kula Puranams’ (texts on various castes) and telling stories of village communities, which made them rely on others for their livelihood. “During the British era, our traditional vocation ended, and we stopped being nomadic and settled in a few pockets. Unfortunately, the community’s name is misused by even politicians,” he told TOI.
