Chutia community holds massive torchlight rally in Dhemaji demanding ST status

Thousands from Assam’s Chutia community staged a torchlight protest in Dhemaji district on Wednesday evening, October 29, pressing for immediate inclusion in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category. 

Demonstrators from across Upper Assam converged in Dhemaji town, marching from multiple points with burning torches and chanting “No ST, No Rest.”

The protest was jointly organised by five Chutia bodies — Chutia Yuva Sanmilan, Chutia Yuva Parishad, Chutia Jati Sanmilan, Chutia Jati Mahila Sanmilan and Chutia Jati Chatra Sangstha.

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Addressing the gathering, Chutia Yuva Sanmilan Dhemaji president Pinku Chutia said, “We have been demanding ST status since 1979. We possess all the features of Scheduled Tribes, yet we remain neglected.” He added that the Chutia community, found across Assam, including the Barak Valley, has its own distinct culture, food, dress, and language, all of which qualify them for tribal recognition.

The demand for ST status is part of a long-standing movement by six major communities of Assam — Moran, Motok, Chutia, Tai-Ahom, Koch-Rajbongshi, and Tea Tribes. Despite repeated assurances from political leaders, the issue remains unresolved.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma recently announced that the report by the Group of Ministers (GoM) on granting ST status to the six communities will be presented during the winter session of the Assam Assembly starting November 25.

Similar protests have been gaining momentum across the state. On Tuesday, members of the Tai-Ahom community held a torchlight rally in Charaideo, while tea-tribe workers and Motok groups staged protest marches earlier in October and September, respectively, in Tinsukia, Dibrugarh, and Sadiya.