HT Correspondent
DIBRUGARH, June 2: The All Adivasi Students’ Association of Assam (AASAA) held a sit-in protest at Chowkidinghee in Dibrugarh on Monday advocating for longstanding issues related to the rights and welfare of Adivasi communities in Assam.
The demonstrators called for several key demands, including recognition of Scheduled Tribe (ST) status, fair wages for tea garden workers, land rights, and healthcare benefits for retired tea workers.
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The protesters urged the immediate recognition of Adivasi communities in the state including the Oraon, Munda, Santhal, Kharia, and Garh on the Scheduled Tribes (ST) list.
Furthermore, the organisation called for the issuance of Other Backward Class (OBC) certificates to Tea Tribes using the designation “Adivasi,” instead of the broad term “Tea Tribes,” asserting that the generic label undermines the unique identities of individual tribal communities.
Another prominent demand focused on raising the minimum daily wage for tea garden workers to Rs 550. The protesters noted that the last increase in minimum wages occurred in 2016, with workers receiving only temporary wage hikes since then.
AASAA also sought land pattas for Adivasis who have lived on surplus ceiling land, government land, and forest areas for generations.
Moreover, AASAA called for healthcare benefits for retired tea workers, including lifelong free medical care and transportation, placing the responsibility on tea garden management.
After the demonstration, AASAA submitted a formal memorandum containing their demands to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma through Dibrugarh District Commissioner Bikram Kairi.
