A large number of tribals staged a massive protest in Paderu in Alluri Sitharama Raju district, on Friday, demanding that the State government immediately issue an alternative Government Order (GO) to restore reservations that were provided under the erstwhile G.O. No. 3.The protest was organised under the ‘Adivasi Girijana Sangham’, where participants took out a rally and gathered in front of the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) office. The tribals raised slogans over their demands.Addressing the gathering, member of Adivasi Girijana Sangham (APGS), P. Appalanarsa urged Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to fulfil the assurance he had given during the Araku election campaign to restore reservations under G.O. No. 3 if his party came to power. He said that tribal communities had been demanding restoration of G.O. No. 3 ever since the Supreme Court struck it down on April 22, 2020. According to him, despite repeated representations, protests and agitations over the past several years, successive governments had failed to resolve the issue.He also alleged that non-tribals were continuing to occupy tribal lands through illegal and benami transactions and sought action against such encroachments, including registration of cases under the Land Transfer Regulation.The tribals leaders also stated that, if Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, who is scheduled to visit Rampachodavaram on July 24, does not announce an alternative GO for restoring the reservation benefits, they would organise a two-day ‘Manyam Bandh’ on August 8 and 9, boycotting the official World Tribal Day celebrations. Published - July 17, 2026 07:56 pm IST