Staff reporter
Guwahati: Congress’ Deputy leader in the Lok Sabha and Jorhat MP Gaurav Gogoi demanded the Central government to speed up the process to provide Schedule Tribe status to the six ethnic groups Assam.
MP Gogoi said, “The six ethnic communities in Assam, namely the Adivasi/Tea Tribe, Tai Ahom, Moran, Matak, Chutia and Koch-Rajbongshi, have been demanding their inclusion in the list of Scheduled Tribes. The demand is based on the argument that these communities possess the characteristics of Scheduled Tribes, including their economic backwardness.”
Gogoi further said that the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) has also approved the inclusion of these six communities in the ST list. The Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2019 was introduced in the Rajya Sabha on January 8, 2019. This bill sought to amend the list of Scheduled Tribes of Assam, specifically to include the six ethnic communities. The delay in the enactment of this crucial legislation has had a profound and negative impact on these marginalized communities. They continue to suffer from socio-economic disparities, discrimination, and lack of adequate representation. The recognition as Scheduled Tribes would have provided them with much-needed constitutional safeguards, affirmative action, and access to Government schemes and resources.
Gogoi urged the Government to prioritize this bill’s passage and expedite the legislative process. The continued delay is causing immense hardship to these communities, and it is imperative to address their legitimate aspirations, he said.
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