Ministerial Panel’s Interim ST Report Triggers Uproar Over New ‘ST Valley’ Category

A ministerial group submitted a report on Saturday in the Assam Assembly, on the last day and in the final hours of the 15th Winter Session, regarding the grant of Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to six communities, but the exercise immediately ignited a political storm. Speaker Biswajit Daimary’s refusal to allow a discussion on the report led to sharp objections from the Opposition, which accused the government of pushing a sensitive proposal without transparency.

BTR Executive Member Dipen Bodo said MLAs were “completely unaware” of what the report contained. According to him, the panel placed the report before the House but no discussion was allowed, leaving legislators with no clarity on what kind of reservation structure or protection mechanisms were being proposed. Bodo maintained that only after going through the full report would parties be able to determine their next course of action, adding that they would participate in Sunday’s scheduled discussion.

The interim report has raised eyebrows for introducing a previously unheard-of category—‘ST Valley’. The document proposes that Assam’s tribal framework be reorganised into three groups: ST Hills, ST Plains and the newly created ST Valley. This reclassification immediately came under fire, with several Opposition members questioning how a category not recognised in the Constitution could be inserted into the structure.

Raijor Dal MLA Akhil Gogoi was among the strongest critics, calling the inclusion of “ST Valley” entirely unconstitutional. He argued that the Constitution recognises only ST Hills and ST Plains, and the ministerial group had no authority to invent a new tribal category. Gogoi accused the state government of crafting an “artificial division” ahead of the elections, saying it reflected the BJP’s habit of dangling promises before communities without delivering concrete results.

The interim report, however, outlines a series of proposals that have further complicated the debate. It suggests placing Ahom, Chutia and three segments of the Tea Tribes communities under the new ST Valley category, claiming this was arrived at through a consensus-based process. But Gogoi pointed out that even within this proposed valley grouping, the government had failed to clearly identify which communities would be included, leaving the classification vague and potentially contentious.

The report also attempts to divide the Koch Rajbongshi community between the two categories. Koch Rajbongshis from Goalpara and neighbouring regions would be placed under ST Valley, while those living outside BTAD areas would fall under the ST Plains category. Additionally, the Moran and Matak communities, along with certain sections of Koch Rajbongshis, have been recommended for inclusion under ST Plains. The ministerial panel has described the document as an interim report, stating that a final set of recommendations will be prepared after further discussions before being sent to the Union government.

Akhil Gogoi said the move exposes what he described as the Centre and state government’s “duplicity” towards Assam’s ethnic communities. According to him, the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister were once again “making people wear the hat of hope” without offering concrete assurances—a pattern he labelled as a familiar pre-election tactic.

Opposition parties have demanded that the report be thoroughly debated before the government proceeds with any formal proposal to the Centre. With tensions already mounting, the Assembly is expected to revisit the issue on Sunday, where the Opposition plans to push for detailed scrutiny of the panel’s recommendations.

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