Modi's U-turn on ST status has proved BJP lying: AKRSU

Leaders of 6 ethnic groups to meet Ministries of Tribal Affairs, Home today

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, Feb 28: All Koch-Rajbongshi Students’ Union (AKRSU) chief adviser Biswajit Ray today said that the rendra Modi-led Government at the Centre has been proved to be a liar when it has made it clear through a letter stating ‘since the Register General of India (RGI) has rejected the Assam Government’s proposals for according ST status to the Koch-Rajbongshis more than three times, there is no way to Schedule the community in the existing modalities meant for Scheduling’.

Talking to The Sentinel from New Delhi today, Ray said: “This is despite the fact that the BJP had assured us of according ST status before the last Lok Sabha polls. We received a letter from the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs yesterday in response to the memorandum sent to the Prime Minister on November 24, 2015. The letter states that ‘as earlier the RGI has rejected more than three times Assam Government’s proposals so no comment has been given by the RGI on this proposal as per existing modalities in force, which has proved that the Modi-led Central Government’s promise of granting ST to Koch Rajbongshi is totally a lie.”

Coming down heavily on the BJP-led government at the Centre, Ray further said: “Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs did tell us that a new modality would have to be prepared for granting ST status to us. However, this letter has proved it beyond doubt that no new modality has been prepared for granting us ST status by the Centre. Scheduling had been one of the issues for the BJP during the last Lok Sabha polls. After coming to power, they held a number of talks with us on the issue of ST status, but did precious little towards that end. The BJP-led government has been blackmailing us on this issue. The tackling of the issue by the Centre has proved it beyond doubt that Union Minister of State for Sports and Youth Welfare Sarbanda Sonowal is acting at the diktat various tribal organizations that have been opposing the move to give ST status to the six ethnic groups in the State. This has come to the fore when the BJP has stitched a poll tie-up with the BPF that has all along been opposing the move to grant ST status to the six ethnic groups. The prime condition that has cemented the BJP-BPF tie-up is to deny the six ethnic groups ST status. We’re going to give a fitting reply to the BJP for its U-turn on the issue in this Assembly Elections in the State.”

Meanwhile, Ray said that at 11 am tomorrow at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi the Chhay Janogosthiya Mohasabha (CJM) would stage a three-hour dhar and tonsure their heads. 

Meanwhile, leaders of the six ethnic groups will hold separate meetings with the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and the Ministry of Home Affairs in New Delhi tomorrow. According to a state BJP source, Litul Buragohain will represent the Sadou Tai Ahom Students’ Union, Hiteswar Barman to lead the Sadou Koch-Rajbongshi Chatra Santha, Arunjyoti Moran to represent the Moran Chatra Santha, Udai Shankar Mohan to represent the Mottuck Juba-Chatra Sanmilan, Rajen Kumar to represent the Assam Chah Jajati Chatra Santha and Aboni Chutia to represent the Chutia Juba Sanmilan. Sarbanda Sonowal, MPs Rajen Gohain, Kamakhya Prasad Tasha, Rameswar Teli and State BJP Jagosthiya Cell convener Lakhsya Konwar will also be present at the meetings. Sonowal was on record saying earlier that the ST to the six ethnic groups of the State would not be the BJP’s poll agenda this year. He said that the Centre would try to seek a permanent solution to the problem in accordance with the law.