National President of the Adivasi Congress and Madhya Pradesh Congress leader Dr Vikrant Bhuria on Friday accused the BJP of reducing Assam's tea tribe communities to props for political optics, saying they need fulfilled promises — not photo sessions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Addressing the media at Rajiv Bhawan in Guwahati ahead of the Assembly elections, Bhuria launched a wide-ranging attack on the BJP government's record on Adivasi rights, land ownership, and tribal welfare.
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Bhuria alleged that Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has been functioning not as a people's representative but as an agent of corporate interests, systematically stripping Adivasi communities of their land.
He claimed that nearly 1.5 lakh bighas of Adivasi land has already been transferred to large industrial entities, and that the government has completely failed to provide land pattas to tribal families despite repeated assurances.
One of Bhuria's sharpest attacks centred on Prime Minister Modi's 2014 promise to grant Scheduled Tribe status to six communities in Assam — the Tai Ahom, Koch Rajbongshi, Moran, Motok, Chutia, and tea tribes.
"Even after 12 years and multiple elections, the promise remains unfulfilled," he said, describing the assurance as little more than recurring electoral rhetoric used to secure votes without delivering results.
On the question of tea garden workers' wages, Bhuria pointed to a stark gap between what the BJP had pledged and what workers are actually receiving.
He noted that the BJP promised a daily wage of Rs 351 back in 2016, but current wages still hover around Rs 80 — a fraction of the commitment. He contrasted this with states like Kerala and Tamil Nadu, where plantation workers receive significantly higher wages.
"Symbolic gestures and photo opportunities are not enough. Concrete policy measures are needed," he said.
Raising the issue of Article 244(A), Bhuria said the provision allows for a "state within a state" model of governance in tribal areas such as Karbi Anglong and other hill regions, and that the Congress has consistently stood for ensuring Adivasi rights over land and self-governance.
He reiterated that a Congress government would strengthen Autonomous District Councils and push for the implementation of 244(A) as a matter of priority.
Outlining the Congress roadmap for tribal welfare, Bhuria said the party's manifesto includes rehabilitation of displaced tribal communities, special government recruitment drives targeting Adivasi candidates, provision of free coaching for competitive examinations, and a renewed push to deliver ST status to the six communities promised recognition over a decade ago.