Intensified Protests in Assam for Scheduled Tribe Status
Protests Erupt in Tamulpur Over ST Status Demand
Protestors burn effigies in Tamulpur (Image)
Guwahati, July 16: On Thursday, significant protests took place in Assam's Tamulpur district as Koch Rajbongshi groups escalated their demands for Scheduled Tribe (ST) recognition. Demonstrators set fire to effigies of Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram and Assam Minister Ranoj Pegu along the India-Bhutan highway.
Chanting slogans like "We need ST", the protesters accused both the central and state BJP governments of failing to deliver on their electoral promise to grant ST status to the Koch Rajbongshi community.
The protesters also expressed dissatisfaction with the Koch Rajbongshi representatives in the BJP, claiming that their issues were not being adequately addressed despite their presence in the government.
The All Koch Rajbongshi Students' Union (AKRASU) issued a warning that the protests would escalate if the newly formed government did not address this long-standing demand.
One protester stated, "Our patience is running out. The government has consistently misled us. We denounce the comments made by Union Minister Jual Oram and Assam Minister Ranoj Pegu regarding this matter. Our ministers have not advocated for our community. If the government continues to provoke us, it should brace for the repercussions."
These protests follow remarks made by Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram during his visit to Assam on June 30, where he indicated that the six communities seeking ST status would face delays due to the complex constitutional process required for inclusion under Article 342.
In the Assam Legislative Assembly on July 14, Tribal Affairs Minister Ranoj Pegu explained that the state-level ministerial committee had completed its review and submitted its report without changing the fundamental proposal regarding ST status, including recommendations for the proposed ST (Valley) category.
Pegu noted that amendments requested by the Moran and Motok organizations regarding their ethnographic descriptions had been included, but the revised proposal could not be submitted earlier due to the Assembly election process. He confirmed that Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has now approved these amendments, and the updated proposal will be forwarded to the Centre following the proper procedures.
Addressing concerns about Oram's comments, Pegu reassured the Assembly that the Union minister had not dismissed the proposal but merely suggested that the likelihood of the Bill being introduced in the next Parliament session was low. He reiterated that the demand for ST status is still under consideration.