Letters to the Editor: Complicated process of tribalization

Complicated process of tribalization

There are many ethnic groups in Assam who have been demanding scheduled tribe status from the government for a long time and are conducting various programmes in support of their demands. But neither the Congress-led UPA nor the BJP-led NDA government has taken proper steps due to political or technical problems for the tribalization of the six communities or others, which resulted in non-fulfilment of their demands. Granting tribal status to any non-tribal community is a very complex process. If the government had the ability to give what it said it would, the problem of tribalization might have been solved someday. But the government must follow several critical steps to continue this process. The steps are as follows:

First, the State Government or the Union Territory Government should consider whether a community is eligible for Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe before sending the matter to the Registrar General of India for examination. The Registrar of India generally assesses the community based on various criteria. The standard indicators for Scheduled Tribes include a distinct culture with indigenous characteristics, geographical isolation, a reluctance to communicate with the larger community, and general underdevelopment.

After careful examination of the above stages, the Registrar General of India should send the proposal to the National Commission for ST. If both the Registrar General of India and the National Commission for ST agree, the proposal to grant Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to the particular caste or community for the State or Union Territory concerned may be sent to the President of India for public notification.

After receiving the proposal from the state government, the Registrar General of India and the National Commission for ST need to overcome various technical problems to move the process forward. Therefore, the pace of tribalization may not have progressed smoothly. Many suspect that both the previous UPA government and the current NDA government have been politicising the issue for an extended period. There is no doubt that the process of tribalization is a complex issue even if you don't do politics. The delay in granting scheduled tribe status to six communities of Assam is due to a complex process as described above.

Pradip Kumar Chakravarty,

Bhetapara, Guwahati

India and the global AI moment

The strong turnout at the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi highlighted Indians’ growing enthusiasm for artificial intelligence. With 89 countries endorsing a voluntary declaration on AI cooperation, the summit underscored global momentum toward democratising AI. For India, however, challenges persist: much of the capital, infrastructure, and advanced hardware such as GPUs remain abroad, making domestic deployment costly and energy-intensive. While data centers capacity is expanding, a strategy focused mainly on deploying imported models rather than training and fine-tuning them may limit long-term gains. Internationally, India must move beyond consensus-driven approaches and play a more assertive role in shaping AI governance, especially as a voice of the Global South. As AI reshapes economic and geopolitical landscapes, India has both the user base and strategic leverage to promote inclusive growth, stronger safety standards, and equitable access, ensuring that AI’s benefits are widely shared without deepening digital inequalities.

Joydev Mahanta

Bapujinagar, Goalpara

Essence of Ramzan

Fasting during Ramzan, the sacred month for Muslims, is not merely about hunger; it is a discipline for the body and a reminder to empathise with those in need. Unfortunately, many tend to neglect the principles of this month. Some give short measures, charge excessive prices, or earn undue profits. Stockpiling food before Ramzan often drives prices even higher, which affects even ordinary citizens. The essence of Ramzan lies in simple but meaningful acts like rising early for Sehri and exercising patience and tolerance.

Muslims should welcome Ramzan not only as a pious act of worship but also as an opportunity to correct their mistakes, uphold honesty, and fulfil their responsibilities in daily life.

Jubel D'Cruz,

(jubeldcruz@yahoo.com)