ATTSA steps up pressure on BJP over tea tribes’ long-pending rights

Dibrugarh, Feb 18: The Assam Tea Tribes Students’ Association (ATTSA) today staged a demonstration and submitted a comprehensive memorandum to the State government, demanding the immediate fulfilment of long-pending constitutional, economic and social rights of the tea tribes community.

Issuing a clear political warning ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections, the organisation reiterated their demand for ST, Land rights and justified daily wage for the workers in the tea industry. ATTSA stated that if the assurances earlier made by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to the community are not implemented before the polls, the party would “regret bitterly” at the ballot box.

ATTSA vice president Lazar Nanda said members of the tea garden communities have been democratically demanding their legal and constitutional rights for nearly five decades. Despite repeated promises by successive governments, he alleged, the fundamental issues remain unresolved.

Nanda said the foremost demand of the organisation is the grant of Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to all communities of the tea gardens in Assam. “For over 200 years, more than 108 ethnic groups that make up the tea tribes have been living in Assam. They are an inseparable part of Assamese society and have enriched its language, literature, culture, economy and political life. Yet, we continue to be denied constitutional recognition,” he said.

He recalled that the government had earlier announced its decision to grant ST status to 36 communities. After holding consultations with various ethnic groups, ATTSA had welcomed the move and urged the government to subsequently include all remaining communities under the ST fold. “However, that assurance remains unfulfilled to this day,” Nanda stated.

Expressing concern over the report submitted by a Group of Ministers during the November 2025 winter session of the Assam Legislative Assembly, ATTSA leaders said that while the report proposed granting Scheduled Tribe (Valley) status, it does not clearly specify the inclusion of all 108 plus tea tribes communities. This ambiguity, he said, has created uncertainty and dissatisfaction among the people.

“Despite embracing Assamese identity and living in harmony with other communities, we are still waiting for justice,” Nanda asserted. “If the BJP government fails to grant ST status to all tea tribes communities before the Assembly elections, they will regret it bitterly. Our people will respond democratically,” he added.

Echoing the warning, ATTSA assistant general secretary Lakhindra Kurmi said the BJP had sought and received the support of the tea tribes community based on clear promises. “We stood by them in good faith. But if those commitments are not honoured before the elections, the political consequences will be serious,” Kurmi said.

He emphasised that three key issues must be resolved before the announcement of the 2026 Assembly elections - grant of Scheduled Tribe status to all tea tribes communities, land rights for tea garden workers and those settled in villages and fixation of a minimum daily wage of Rs 551 for plantation labourers.

With the tea tribes community forming a significant voter base in several constituencies across Upper Assam, ATTSA’s warning signals potential political ramifications if its demands remain unaddressed.

The demonstration was organised under the aegis of the district committee of ATTSA. The district ATTSA president Bimal Bagh, district general secretary Sonu Oraon and other senior leaders like Basanta Kurmi and Hemanta Kujur also took part in the demonstration.