Tribal Voices Challenge Kerala’s ‘Poverty-Free’ Declaration Ahead of November 1 Event
Tribals decry hunger, homelessness despite government’s poverty-free declaration.
The Kerala government’s plan to declare the state ‘extreme poverty-free’ on November 1, 2025, has drawn sharp criticism from tribal communities and ASHA workers, who argue it ignores their ongoing struggles with hunger, homelessness, and inadequate support. The Left Democratic Front (LDF), led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, will mark this milestone with a high-profile event featuring film stars Mohanlal, Mammootty, and Kamal Haasan. However, tribal activists and ASHA workers under the Kerala ASHA Health Workers Association (KAHWA) assert that the celebration overlooks the dire conditions faced by the state’s most marginalized groups.
In Wayanad, home to 1,52,808 of Kerala’s 4,26,208 tribal population, Minister OR Kelu declared the district ‘poverty-free’ on October 25, 2025. Tribal activist Manikkuttan Paniyan disputes this, noting that 90% of tribal families lack land, living in plastic-covered huts without electricity or toilets. At the Manikkuni settlement near Sultan Bathery, K Ammini of the Adivasi Vanitha Prasthanam describes 60 families enduring overflowing toilets and no drinking water, questioning the government’s claims when many survive on one meal daily.
ASHA workers, striking since February 2025 outside the Thiruvananthapuram Secretariat, have urged the film stars to boycott the event in an open letter. Demanding higher honorariums (currently ₹7,000) and retirement benefits, KAHWA highlights their sacrifices, including 11 deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic, and accuses the LDF of ignoring their protests, even using water cannons against them. They argue their hardships contradict the ‘poverty-free’ narrative, calling it detached from reality.
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Launched in 2021, the Extreme Poverty Eradication Programme targeted 64,006 families, with Minister M B Rajesh claiming 59,277 have been uplifted. Yet, activists dismiss these figures, with Manikkuttan stating less than 10% of funds reach tribals, and KAHWA calling the data mere paperwork. Communities like the Paniya and Kattunayakan in Wayanad and Muthuvan in Idukki still face hunger, unemployment, and school dropouts, underscoring persistent inequalities.
The controversy, amplified in this election year, has sparked demands for accountability. With Kerala’s tribal population concentrated in Wayanad (35.85%), Idukki (12.33%), and Kasaragod (11.17%), and ASHA workers continuing their strike, the government’s claims face scrutiny. The November 1 event risks being overshadowed by these voices, exposing a gap between official narratives and the lived realities of Kerala’s most vulnerable populations.
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