CCTOA takes out torchlight rally against ST Bill at Kokrajhar town

Our Correspondent

KOKRAJHAR: Strongly protesting the centre’s move to bring Constitutional Schedule Tribe Amendment Bill, 2019, the coordination committee of Tribal Organizations, Assam (CCTOA) on Friday evening took out a torchlight rally at Kokrajhar town. The rally started from Bodofa Children’s Park and ended at Kokrajhar Girls HS School via Jwhwlao Dwimalu Road.

Talking to reporters, the president of Kokrajgar district CCTOA, Chakramani Brahma said that the Government of India was going ahead with its decision to bring amendment of Constitutional ST Bill, 2019, which will destroy the constitutional benefits of the existing tribal communities across the country. He said that the government was trying to include more advanced communities in the ST list through the new Bill.

He warned that the existing tribal communities will not sit silent over the move of the BJP-led government at the centre. He urged the union government to withdraw the proposed Bill.

The assistant general secretary of the ABSU Kwrwmdao Wary said that by bringing the new ST Bill, 2019, the government of India was trying to corner all existing tribal communities in the country. He said that the BJP-led government had a policy to include advanced communities in tribal list. He also said that once the new Bill is passed, the government will enlist many advanced and populous communities, who do not fullfil the criteria of being ST and have no tribal characteristics in the ST list.

Wary warned that if the advanced communities are included in the list, then there would be no meaning of categorizing the backward communities in ST category as every government facilities, privileges and justice will be given to the advanced and populous communities. He cautioned that the ST communities across the nation will carry out a series of protest against the proposed Bill. The torch light rally was also included the leaders of different organizations. They shouted slogans against the move of the BJP-led government who are going to annihilate all existing tribal communities.

Also Read: CCTOA demand withdrawal of ST (Scheduled Tribes) Bill

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