Assam CM to Meet Protestors Over ST Status for Six Communities

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday night expressed his government’s willingness to engage with protestors opposing the Group of Ministers (GoM) report that recommends granting Scheduled Tribe(ST) status to six communities in the state.

The protests, which began on Saturday, were sparked after the GoM’s recommendations on ST status for the Tai-Ahom, Chutia, Moran, Motok, Koch-Rajbongshi, and Tea Tribes (Adivasis) were tabled in the Assam Legislative Assembly.

Speaking on the issue, CM Sarma said, “In today’s state cabinet meeting, we reviewed the GoM report on granting ST status to six communities along with the developments surrounding it. The cabinet believes the report allows extending ST status without affecting the rights and interests of existing ST groups.

Ministers Ranoj Pegu, Keshab Mahanta, and Pijush Hazarika will meet the Coordination Committee of Tribal Organisations of Assam (CCTOA) to explain the report in detail and prevent any misunderstandings. If necessary, I am also willing to meet the CCTOA personally.”

Meanwhile, the opposition has strongly criticized the government’s handling of the matter. Assam Congress chief and Deputy Leader of the Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi, said that the Congress has long supported granting ST status to the six communities, provided it does not infringe upon the rights of existing ST groups.

“During the last Congress government, we passed an assembly resolution supporting this. However, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, while presenting a category-wise ST report, has not demonstrated how the rights of existing ST communities will remain protected. It appears the government is creating conflict between six indigenous communities and Assam’s scheduled tribes, reflecting a divide-and-rule strategy reminiscent of British colonial politics,” Gogoi wrote on social media platform X.

Also Read: “ST Status Report for Six Communities Is Politically Motivated,” Says Ajit Bhuyan