Guwahati: Tai Ahom community stages protest near Assam Secretariat, demands ST status

The Tai Ahom Yuva Parishad Assam (TAYPA), an organization representing the Tai Ahom community, staged a protest near the Assam Secretariat in Guwahati, reiterating their demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. 

The demonstration drew significant attention, prompting the deployment of security personnel to maintain law and order in the area.

Diganta Tamuli, President of TAYPA, expressed the community's growing frustration with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for not fulfilling its promise. "Since 2014, three Lok Sabha elections and two Assembly elections have been held. They came to power, but they haven't fulfilled their promise of providing ST status to our community," Tamuli said.

He issued a stark warning to the BJP, emphasizing the potential political consequences of their inaction. "If they do not grant us ST status, this year will not be suitable for the BJP," he stated, signalling the community's readiness to make the issue a central point of contention in the upcoming elections.

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The protest near the Secretariat is part of a broader plan by TAYPA to escalate their agitation. Tamuli outlined the organization's strategy, which includes rail blockades, national highway blockades, and economic blockades until their demands are met.

The demand for ST status by the Tai Ahom community is a longstanding issue, rooted in their aspirations for socio-economic and cultural safeguards. Despite repeated assurances from successive governments, the matter remains unresolved, fueling discontent among the community.

While the BJP has yet to respond to TAYPA’s warnings and protests, the escalating situation could pose significant challenges for the ruling party as it prepares for upcoming elections.