STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: The Coordination Committee of the Tribal Organizations of Assam (CCTOA) has submitted a detailed memorandum to Antar Singh Arya, Chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST), strongly opposing the proposed inclusion of six major communities of Assam into the Scheduled Tribes (Plains) category.
The delegations led by Chief Coordinator of CCTOA Aditya Khaklari met the Chairman of NCST and submitted the memorandum in New Delhi on Wednesday.
The memorandum raises concerns over the Government of Assam’s renewed push to enlist the Koch-Rajbongshi, Tai Ahom, Chutia, Moran, Motok and Tea Tribes as ST (Plains). The CCTOA argued that these communities had been repeatedly rejected by the Registrar General of India (RGI) and the NCST on grounds that they do not meet the constitutional criteria for Scheduled Tribe status.
According to the memorandum, the RGI had examined and rejected these proposals eight times between 1981 and 2006, a fact earlier confirmed in Parliament by the then Tribal Affairs Minister P.R. Kyndiah.
The CCTOA cited the temporary inclusion of Koch-Rajbongshis as ST (Plains) through a 1996 ordinance, which later lapsed, as an example of how advanced communities could overshadow the existing ST population. The committee presented data showing that, during the short period of their inclusion, Koch-Rajbongshi candidates occupied a large share of ST(P) reserved seats in premier institutions such as Cotton College, Assam Engineering College, and medical colleges.
The CCTOA urged the Commission to that, in any event of taking any policy decision concerning, directly or indirectly, the rights and interests of the Schedule Tribe people of Assam, the undersigned organizations must be taken into confidence and be given opportunity of being heard and the CCTOA further urged that the list of Scheduled Tribe (plains) relating to the plains of Assam should be frozen for good. However, the government should take initiative to resolve the problem of the 6 community and provide protection and privilege to all ethnic groups of Assam in any other manner which will in no way hamper the rights and interests of the plains tribal people of Assam and the quota of reservation for the ST (Plains) should be enhanced based on the latest census data as five more tribes have already been added to the category after 2001 census.
Also Read: Assam Tribes Oppose ST Status for Six Communities