Assam: Himanta Biswa Sarma accuses Congress of making U-turn on ST status issue

Guwahat: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, on Wednesday said issue of providing Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to six communities in parliament due to imbroglio created by opposition parties in the parliament.

On Wednesday a large number of people protested against the proposal of providing ST status to six communities in Dima Hasao district of Assam. The report of the Group of Ministers (GoM) in connection with the proposal for the grant of Scheduled Tribe status to six major communities finds full justification for inclusion of the six communities in the ST list based on their socio-economic backwardness.

On November 29 students from Bodoland university protested and marched to Bodoland territorial council (BTC) secretariat in Kokrajhar in Assam opposing the proposal for the grant of ST status to six major communities. There was large-scale vandalism.


Thousands of students defying the security barricade barged inside the secretariat. They alleged that giving ST status to six new communities will dilute their rights and opportunities.

Speaking at a function in Guwahati on Wednesday, Sarma said Asom Gana Parisad (AGP) MP Birendra Prasad Baishya had raised the ST status demand and the recommendations of the GoM report, but protests by Congress members disrupted proceedings and stalled the discussion.

AGP is an ally of BJP in Assam. Sarma said, “Few days back Congress was seeking ST status for these communities but when they saw that the BJP government is working on it, they are now making the U turn. The Opposition shut down the debate.”

He added that this has hurt people in Assam and they must answer to the people.

Tai Ahom, Chutia, Moran, Motok, Koch-Rajbongshi and Tea Tribes (Adivasis) have been seeking ST status for a long time.The three member GoM was headed by Ranoj Pegu with other two members being Pijush Hazarika and Keshab Mahanta in its recommendation stated their inclusion has already been recommended by the Registrar General of India, The National Commission for ST and approved by the union cabinet.

The GoM is of the view that once the Government of India accepts the committee’s recommendation the issue will be resolved to the satisfaction of both the six communities and the existing tribal communities of Assam. However, the final inclusion requires statutory approval by the parliament.

In the interim measure the GoM believes the Government of Assam should undertake targeted measures to address the socio-economic disadvantages faced by the six communities seeking ST status. In the interim measure GOM proposed until ST status is conferred, the present OBC reservation should be classified into seven categories.

Those seeking ST status have been holding protests at different places in the last two months.