GUWAHATI, March 17 � Registering their protest against the move of Union Government to grant ST status to the tea garden communities in Assam, the All Assam Tribal Sangha asked the Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi not to give any such recommendation to the Centre to protect the interest of the indigenous tribal people of the State.
A delegation of the co-ordination committee of the tribal bodies of the State met Gogoi on March 16 and placed their demands.
�The tea tribes communities and ex-tea garden labourers have migrated to Assam from the neighbouring State, and if they are granted the ST status, it would create problem both for the State and the indigenous tribal people of Assam,� a statement from the Tribal Sangha mentioned.
�The migrated people have already started large scale encroachment of the forest land of Assam and if the situation is not controlled immediately, it would pose a big threat for the forest land and tribal blocks of Assam,� the statement added.
The six point demands of the Sangaha include the protection of tribal blocks and belts, increase the seat reservation for STs to 20 per cent from existing ten per cent, separate TET examination for tribal candidates, filling the backlog of posts in a phased manner through a special employment scheme, the statement added.
