NEW DELHI, July 20 - With elections round the corner, the NDA Government has revived the dialogue process with representatives of the six communities of the State over their demand for the Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
The crucial meeting, however, underwent some last-minute changes due to the Opposition-sponsored no-confidence motion. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who was scheduled to chair the meeting, assigned his junior colleague, Minister of State Kiren Rijiju, to head the talks. Senior officials of the Home Ministry and Assam Government also joined the meeting.
Rijiju said that as the Centre was examining the demands thoroughly, it was taking time. The Centre is also examining whether some incentives can be doled out in response to the demand for the ST status.
Leaders of the six communities of Assam comprising the tea tribes, Tai Ahoms, Morans, Koch Rajbongshis, Chutias and Muttocks are demanding the ST status.
Meanwhile, leaders of these ethnic communities threatened to hold a massive rally here on July 30, demanding the intervention of the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister to take the dialogue process forward.
The six communities warned that the Sonowal Government should be ready to face the consequences during the 2019 elections if their demands were not fulfilled.
