Tsunami anniversary: T.N. fishermen reiterate demand for Scheduled Tribe status

On the anniversary of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, fishermen on Friday, December 26, 2025, reiterated their demand to be classified as Scheduled Tribes (ST) so that they can be more represented in education.

Community leader Durai Mahendran said without any reservations that the community was socially and educationally backward, with no IAS officer or judge among its members. “We are fighting for a place among MBCs [Most Backward Classes]. Other States have granted ST status to the fishing community. “As for us, successive governments have only made empty promises,” he said.

Community leader K. Bharathi said the day served to remind fishermen of their plight. “Although we are among the first responders, the government does not have a clear response plan in the face of a disaster that hits the shore. We do not have pattas for our homes and we are losing land due to various projects. There is a need to make reservations in the education of our children to ensure sustainable livelihoods,” he said.

Fishermen in Chennai and surrounding villages did not venture into the sea on Friday and prayed to the Sea Goddess by pouring milk and offering flowers.