Renke Commission chair Balkrishna Renke warns of nationwide agitation if demands are ignored
PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE
Representatives of Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (NT-DNT) from across India have announced the formation of the DNT–NT Federation of India following a national consultation held in Delhi on March 14–15, 2026. The representatives demanded that the Government of India include a separate column with a unique caste code for NT-DNT communities in the 2027 Census, warning that continued neglect of their identity and recognition could lead to a nationwide democratic movement.
The announcement was made during a press conference at the Press Club of India attended by Balkrishna Sidram Renke, Digambar Rathod, Lalji Raika, S. P. Singh Labana, Gopal Keshwat, Kamlesh Rathore, Dr Abhay Jadhav and Deepa Pawar.
According to the representatives, the Nomadic–Denotified Council meeting held in Delhi on March 14 and 15 brought together delegates from 22 states. Organisations working among Denotified and Nomadic communities agreed that their concerns must now be raised through a unified national platform.
Following the deliberations, the DNT–NT Federation of India was formally established, with Digambar Rathod and Lalji Raika appointed as National Conveners. The federation aims to bring together grassroots groups and community networks working among Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic communities and raise issues related to their rights, identity and dignity at the national level.
Community representatives stated that the absence of proper enumeration has kept many Denotified and Nomadic communities largely invisible in official data, resulting in their exclusion from policy planning and welfare programmes. They therefore demanded that the 2027 Census include a separate column and unique caste code to ensure accurate recording of their population and socio-economic conditions.
The leaders also raised several key demands, including 10 per cent reservation in government employment and political representation, land rights and permanent housing for Denotified and Nomadic families, legal protection in cases of atrocities, and dedicated budgetary allocation for the development of NT-DNT communities.
Speaking at the event, Balkrishna Renke recalled the recommendations of the National Commission for Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Tribes, constituted by the Government of India in 2005 and which submitted its report in 2008. The report estimated that over 10 per cent of India’s population belongs to these communities and recommended their separate enumeration in the census along with targeted welfare programmes.
However, community leaders said most of these recommendations remain unimplemented. They warned that if the government fails to recognise NT-DNT communities in the 2027 Census, a nationwide democratic movement will be launched to press for their constitutional recognition and rights.
