Karbis outside autonomous areas announce stir for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status

A Correspondent

DIMORIA: In view of the government’s failure to resolve the long-pending demand for ST status for Karbis residing outside the autonomous areas, the Scheduling Demand Coordination Committee of Karbi (Mikir), All Assam Karbi Students’ Union, Karbi Bangthe Asem, Assam Bhaiyom Karbi Adarbar, Karbi Students’ Union, United Karbi Citizen Council, Karbi Cultural Society (Kamrup), Karbi Cultural Society (Morigaon), Karbi Lammet Amei and Karbi Arloso Asem have decided to launch a series of agitations.

Despite years of continuous protests and movements by the indigenous Karbi people demanding their rightful rights, resentment has been growing among the Karbi community as successive governments have failed to grant Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to Karbis residing outside the autonomous hill districts of Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao. The indigenous Karbi people claim that every government has deprived, neglected, and merely used them as a vote bank for decades.

Eleven Karbi national organizations have once again called for a series of agitations to address this issue. In a press release, the organizations stated that granting full Scheduled Tribe status to Karbis living outside the two hill districts through an amendment to the Indian Constitution has been a long-standing demand.

The statement indicated that various governments had engaged in several rounds of discussions on this issue. Notably, during a high-level meeting at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat on September 13, 2022, a decision was made to resolve the issue of ST status in a phased manner. Later, on December 8, 2024, during a discussion at Langvuku in Karbi Anglong attended by Dr Tuliram Ronghang and social thinkers and intellectuals from the Karbi community, it was again decided to make all possible efforts regarding this issue.

Furthermore, at a meeting held on April 17, 2025, at Taralangso in Diphu, in the presence of Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, an assurance was given that the long-pending issue would be resolved within three to four months. However, the organizations expressed their regret that, even at this final stage of the current government’s tenure, they have received no positive response.

According to the announced programs, a torchlight procession will be staged at Sonapur on January 29, followed by a motorcycle rally across the Kamrup district on February 2 to create public awareness. A mass sit-in protest will be organized at the Guwahati protest site on February 10. The organizations also decided to hold a Karbi national convention later in February that involved Karbis residing outside the autonomous areas, after which further programs will be announced.

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