Assam: Thousands take part in rally in support of ST status for Chutia community

Dibrugarh, Oct 29 (PTI) Thousands of people from Assam’s Chutia community on Wednesday staged a torchlight protest march in Dhemaji district to demand immediate inclusion in the Scheduled Tribe category.

Protesters from across the Upper Assam district gathered at Dhemaji town, marching from different locations in the evening.

The demonstration, jointly organised by five Chutia organisations – Chutia Yuva Sanmilan, Chutia Yuva Parishad, Chutia Jati Sanmilan, Chutia Jati Mahila Sanmilan and Chutia Jati Chatra Sangstha – saw agitators marching through the town with burning torches while chanting slogans of ‘No ST, No Rest’.

Addressing the gathering, Chutia Yuva Sanmilan Dhemaji president Pinku Chutia said: "We have been demanding ST status since 1979, as we have all the features of scheduled tribes, but we are still neglected." The Chutias are spread all over Assam, even in the Barak Valley, and have geographical diversity, he said.

"We have our unique dress code, food habits, culture and language, which we preserve and are essential for scheduling tribal status. Still, we are deprived of it despite being economically backward," he added.

Assam's Moran, Motok, Chutia, Tai-Ahom, Koch-Rajbongshi and Tea-Tribes communities have been demanding ST status for years, with multiple assurances from senior BJP leaders and ministers in this regard.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had earlier said that the report by the Group of Ministers (GoM) on granting ST status to six communities will be tabled in the assembly during the upcoming winter session from November 25.

Thousands of people from Assam’s Tai-Ahom community had on Tuesday, too, staged a torchlight protest march in Charaideo district to demand inclusion in the Scheduled Tribe category.

On October 8 and October 13, tea-tribe workers participated in protest rallies in Tinsukia and Dibrugarh towns, while members of the indigenous Motok community held a massive torchlight procession on September 28 at Sadiya in Tinsukia district. PTI CORR TR RBT