Assam: Demand for grant of ST status to Ahom community

A CORRESPONDENT

LAKHIMPUR: The Lakhimpur District Committee of the All Tai Ahom Students’ Union (ATASU) will initiate a stir and protest programme in Lakhimpur too on February 20 in support of the demand for the grant of tribal status to the Ahom community. The stir will be initiated as a response to the stir announced by the central committee of the organization, a press statement said.

The press statement, issued by president Nomal Chetia, further said that the Lakhimpur District Committee of ATASU took a resolution to initiate the protest programme on the aforementioned day by responding to the call of the central committee in a general body meeting of the organization held at its district office in North Lakhimpur on Monday. The meeting was conducted under the management of joint secretaries Pranjit Baruah and Ramen Gogoi, and it was chaired by President Nomal Chetia. It should be noted here that ATASU will organise a motorcycle rally on February 20 to reiterate the organisation’s demand for the grant of tribal status to the Ahom community. 

According to another resolution adopted in the meeting, Lakhimpur ATASU will also fully cooperate in the ‘dharna’ programme, to be demonstrated by the central committee of the organisation in Guwahati on February 26.

On the other hand, Lakhimpur ATASU expressed resentment over the alleged “lackadaisical stand” shown by Tribal Affair (Plain) Minister Dr. Ronoj Pegu regarding the issue of the grant of tribal status to the six communities of Assam. 

“In response to a written question asked by MLA Akhil Gogoi in the current assembly session on the tribalization issue, Tribal Affair (Plain) Minister Dr. Ronoj Pegu took a lackadaisical stand by pushing the issue of tribalization of six ethnic tribes, including the Ahoms, to the Central Government. If the issue of tribalization of the six ethnic tribes is not resolved before the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, we are ready to give a befitting reply to the government in the Lok Sabha poll,” the press statement added.

 Also read: ATASU And AASAA Raises Concerns at Swargadeo Siu-Ka-Pha Multi Speciality Hospital

Also Watch: