The Puroiks of Bulu, in the Sirilang Circle of Nafra, Bichom District, in desperation, announced their decision to merge with the Sajolang community on 24 September. The villagers stated that this decision was made in anger and frustration, as they felt that the Puroiks of Bulu had been excluded from government schemes and benefits intended for the Puroik tribe.
A decision as significant as shifting allegiance to a neighboring tribe would not have been made without desperation stemming from deprivation of facilities and schemes. Bulu, a small village with 10 households, has been a secluded community. Unlike many other Puroik villages, where residents have been subjected to bonded labor, the village of around 60 people remained free. However, being free did not shield them from the marginalization and deprivation that the Puroik tribe, in general, faces in the state.
While the villagers have now returned to their original fold after the intervention of the All Puroik Welfare Society, their distress call should not be ignored. The government must make efforts to connect the villagers of Bulu with the rest of the state by providing them with essential facilities like education, roads, healthcare, and employment opportunities.