OUR CORRESPONDENT
KOKRAJHAR: The Koch National Council (KNC) on Sunday reiterated the demand for inclusion of Koches in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) list in Assam. The student body decided to launch a movement for inclusion of Koches in the ST list in the 2nd central executive meeting held in Kokrajhar.
Later, talking to media persons, the president of the KNC, Jajang Kama Koch said Koches were the indigenous people of Assam but they were not included in the ST list. He said they did not belong to the Rajbongshi community and they had separate identity, culture and tradition. They deserved to get ST status.
“The Koches in the neighbouring state of Meghalaya have been categorized as ST but unfortunately not in Assam,” he said, adding that the BJP-led government was not keen on solve the issues of Koch people. “We are losing our land, we are not protected. We have been suppressed for long,” he said, adding that the Government of Assam should find ways to include them in ST list and hold consultation with the existing tribal communities if they had any problem in inclusion of Koch people in ST category.
Koch said the Koches had been denied their due rights and privileges and constitutional provisions. He also said that the Koches of Assam would no longer remain silent and warmed that they would start movement for ST status to Koch people of Assam.
Also Watch: