STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: The Assam unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday reaffirmed the party’s commitment to securing Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for six communities of the state — Moran, Motok, Tai Ahom, Chutia, Koch-Rajbongshi, and the Tea Tribes.
Addressing a press conference in Guwahati, BJP spokesperson Dr. Devajit Mahanta accused the Congress of lacking sincerity on the long-pending demand. He alleged that the party “never showed goodwill” towards the indigenous communities and criticized it for creating “unnecessary controversy” over the special revision of the electoral roll.
Dr. Mahanta said that while AGP Rajya Sabha MP Birendra Prasad Baishya had supported the ST demand in Parliament on December 2, the silence of Leader of the Opposition Gaurav Gogoi and other Congress MPs from Assam “exposes their lack of support.”
Mahanta further claimed that by dismissing the Cabinet Committee’s report on the six communities as false, Gaurav Gogoi had “insulted all six indigenous groups.” He challenged the Congress to present any alternative framework or policy on the issue if it disagreed with the current process.
Drawing attention to past Congress governments, Mahanta noted that former Chief Ministers Tarun Gogoi and Hiteswar Saikia, both from the Ahom community, had taken no steps toward granting ST status during their long tenures. If Gaurav Gogoi were genuinely concerned, he should initiate dialogue between the government and leaders of the six communities, Mahanta added.
He also contrasted the BJP’s approach to the upcoming 2026 Assembly elections with that of the Congress. At a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, Assam BJP MPs were advised to contest on the strength of development-led initiatives. In contrast, Mahanta said, the Congress meeting chaired by party president Mallikarjun Kharge failed to finalize alliances and focused largely on 22 minority-dominated constituencies — a move he said indicated the party’s weak support base among indigenous groups.
Reaffirming the party’s stand, Mahanta concluded that the BJP-led government “remains committed to protecting the identity, land, and rights of the indigenous people of Assam.”
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