Tea tribe protest for ST status rocks Tinsukia; CM affirms BJP's support

Jorhat, Oct 8: As Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma distributed financial aid to women under the Mukhyamantri Mahila Udyamita Abhiyaan (MMUA) in Tinsukia on Tuesday, members of the tea tribe community staged a massive protest in the district, demanding Scheduled Tribe (ST) status, land rights, and a hike in daily wages.

Organised by several student and community organisations including the Assam Chah Mazdoor Sangha (ACMS), Assam Chah Janajati Chhatra Sanstha, Adivasi Student Associations, and various women's groups representing the tea tribe community, the protest saw participation from tens of thousands of people across Tinsukia.

The demonstrators, carried placards and shouting slogans such as “No ST, no rest” and “We want land rights”, marched peacefully on the streets to press for their demands, which they claim have been ignored for years.

“When the BJP formed the government, they promised that the Tea Tribe community would get ST status, but it’s been over 10 years and nothing has happened. They also failed to provide us land rights and ignored our demand to increase the daily wage to Rs 551,” said a member of a tea tribe association.

Reacting to the protest, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the BJP supports the demand.

“It’s a rightful demand, and people have every reason to protest. They are staging demonstrations for ST status and BJP supports them. Members from our party will also join the protest," he said, on the sidelines of the MMUA distribution ceremony, on Wednesday.

Chief Minister Sarma had recently said that the Group of Ministers (GoM) examining the issue will submit its report in November, to be tabled in the Assembly for further action.

The Tea Tribe community is among six communities - Moran, Matak, Ahom, Chutia, and Koch-Rajbongshi - demanding Scheduled Tribe (ST) status in Assam.

The demand dates back to 2014, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledged to resolve it.

Though the Scheduled Tribes Amendment Bill, introduced in 2019, approved ST status for the six groups, it remains pending. Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram said in June the matter is being “seriously considered".