HT Correspondent
SIVASAGAR, Aug 26: Assam Tea Tribes Students’ Association,
Sivasagar district committee sent a memorandum to the Prime
Minister of India recently through the deputy commissioner
Sivasagar reiterating their demand for scheduled tribe status on
the basis of Article 342 of the Constitution.
The committee, through the memorandum, resented the
attitude of the state governments over the seven decades for
neglecting the tea tribes who have been living miserable lives in
the far-flung areas and depriving them of their rights and
privileges. The organisation reminds the BJP government of its
pre-election commitment of granting ST status to the
community but it is more than nine years now, it said, and the
commitment remains a mere commitment.
On the other hand Rajkishore Bhumij, president, Assam Tea
Tribe Students Association (ATTSA), Sivasagar district
committee, on Saturday condemned the allegedly derogatory
comment of the president of Assam Adivashi Students
Association (AASA) Pradip Nag against ATTSA.
Bhumij in a telephonic conversation told this correspondent
that the two students’ organisations never had a clash before
and now some sectarian sections have been trying to bring in a
clash between them.
The ATTSA, district unit through a press meeting in Demow
Public Library earlier on Wednesday demanded an
unconditional apology from Pradip Nag for his comment in
which he allegedly ascribed the ATTSA members as rootless.
Other leaders of the organisation attending the press meeting
urged the leaders of AASA not to create a Manipur-like
situation by making sensitive comments. It was attended by
Dipu Tanti, vice president ATTASU district committee, Mun
Rajwar, Bhakta Munda, Bijay Bhumij, Rajiv Karmakar, Bichitra
Tanti, Biswanath Nag, and Aman Murdha.
