DIBRUGARH, July 31 - Members of a united forum of six communities of the State � Koch-Rajbongshi, Moran, Mottock, Chutia, Tai Ahom and tea tribes � under the banner of Soi Jonogosthiyo Aikya Mancha today staged a sit-in demonstration near Chowkidinghee Ground here in support of the demand for grant of the Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to the six communities concerned.
Members representing the six communities sat under the waiting shed near the Chowkidinghee intersection with placards and banners. The leaders of these communities said that there must not be any further delay in this regard as both the Centre and the State Government have given assurances to the communities time and again. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had proclaimed before the last Lok Sabha polls in the State that it would accord ST status to the six communities and so the party must fulfil the promise it made, Pranjal Rajkonwar, president, All Tai Ahom Students� Union (ATASU) said.
Golap Lahon, information and publicity secretary, All Assam Mottock Yuba Chatra Sanmilan, said the BJP had promised ST status to the six communities in its last election manifesto, but it has done nothing so far. �The BJP should not drag the issue by holding talks after talks. The Centre must immediately grant ST status to the communities,� he added.
Tinsukia Correspondent adds: Activists of the Tinsukia district committee of Soi Jonogosthiyo Aikya Mancha, the joint forum of six communities namely, Tai Ahom, Mottock, Moran, tea tribes, Chutia and Koch Rajbongshi, staged a two-hour sit-in demonstration in front of the Tinsukia Deputy Commissioner�s office complex on Friday, demanding ST status to the six communities before the next Assembly elections in the State. They warned that both the State and Central governments would have to face the consequences if their demand was not fulfilled.
