Tribal Organisations Rally Against Schedule Tribe (ST) Bill In Delhi

NEW DELHI: Protesting against Centre’s move to grant Schedule Tribe (ST) status to six communities of Assam, the Coordination Committee of the Tribal Organisations of Assam (CCTOA) has staged a sit-in demonstration at Jantar Mantar here on Wednesday.

The committee leaders also submitted memorandums to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh registering their protest against the move.

“The decision of granting of ST status to advanced and populous communities will eliminate political rights of the genuine tribals of Assam,” said Aditya Khakhlari, secretary general of CCTOA in a memorandum submitted to Modi and Singh.

The memorandum was signed by all the committee leaders representing various organisations and bodies.

The committee demands to immediately call for a tripartite talk with Union Home Minister, Chief Minister of Assam and CCTOA before the next parliament session.

“We also demand to provide appropriate and adequate government support to 6 OBC communities within their own reservation provisions instead of granting them ST,” said ABSU president Pramod Boro.

The move taken by the CCTOA assumes significance as the Group of Ministers chaired by Minister for Education and Health in Assam had held its first round of meeting in Dispur to chalk out modalities how to go ahead with the government move without disturbing the interests of the existing ST communities in the state.

Also Read: Granting ST status will directly help to encroach the tribal territories by the six advanced and populous communities: CCTOA