ST status to 6 groups is a must for secured Assam: ATASU

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: The All Tai Ahom Students’ Union (ATASU) said that the government should accord ST status to the six communities of the state, including the Tai Ahoms, for a secured future of Assam and the Assamese. The Tai students’ body today brainstormed on the GOM’s (Group of Ministers) report on the ST issue in Guwahati. The GoM recommended ST-V for the Tai Ahoms.

Intellectuals, litterateurs, advocates and others of the Tai Ahom community racked their brains on the GoM report. The meeting constituted a 21-member high-level committee with Ramesh Borpatra Gohain as the chairman and ATASU president Basanta Gogoi as the member-secretary. The committee will compile an informative booklet on the Tai Ahoms, deserving the ST status. The committee will also prepare a memorandum on the GoM report to submit it to the Chief Minister.

Speaking to the media after the meeting, ATASU president Basanta Gogoi said, “The government should provide ST status to the six communities, including the Tai Ahoms, for a secured future of Assam and the Assamese. The GoM report recommended ST-V for Tai Ahoms. Today’s brainstorming meeting discussed this issue in detail, including the legal aspects involved. We’ve discussed a roadmap to pursue our demands after the GoM report. Issues like socio-political protection for our community, lands, resources, etc., also came up for discussion at the meeting. The committee constituted today will carry forward our demands.” 

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