HT Correspondent
DIBRUGARH, July 10: The members of the Assam Tea Tribes Students’ Association (ATTSA) staged a two-hour protest in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Dibrugarh, demanding Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for the tea garden community in the state.
The protesters expressed their dissatisfaction with the BJP-led government, accusing it of failing to fulfil its promise of granting ST status to the tea community. They raised slogans against the government and warned of a massive agitation across the state if their demands are not met.
Granting ST status to six ethnic groups in Assam, including Adivasis, Mottock, Tai Ahom, Koch Rajbongshi, Sootea, and Moran, was a key promise made by the BJP during the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections, as well as the 2016 Assam Assembly election.
“The Adivasi community in Assam has been fighting for ST status for the last 76 years. The community meets all the criteria required for ST status and it was also a promise made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Lok Sabha election campaign in Assam. The BJP has won multiple elections with this promise, but there has been no progress. Neither the Centre nor the state government is taking the matter seriously,” said Bimal Bagh, ATTSA Dibrugarh district president.
At the conclusion of the protest, the ATTSA members submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi through the deputy commissioner, urging him to grant ST status to the tea community.