Tribal body demands withdrawal of ST Bill

The Coordination Committee ofthe Tribal Organisations of Assam (CCTOA) has opposed the move of the Centre tobring the 'Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill-2019' in thecurrent winter session of Parliament, and demanded that the bill be immediatelywithdrawn.

Addressing a press conference CCTOA coordinator Pramod Boro and general secretary Aditya Khaklari said, "The bill aims at granting the status of Scheduled Tribes (STs) to six communities of Assam including the Tai Ahoms, Koch Rajbongshis, Chutias, Morans, Motoks, and the Adivasis (tea tribes)."

"The inclusion of these groupsin the list of ST is illogical, illegal and a means to threaten the survival ofthe original STs of Assam. At no point of time in history, groups such asMatak, Moran, Chutia, Koch Rajbongshi and Tai-Ahom were considered as 'tribes'by any government or anthropological studies," they said, adding, tea tribessuch as Bhils and Bhumijes are not original STs of Assam"

"If the bill is forcefullyimposed, we'll move the Supreme Court against it", CCTOA added.