AKRSU members protest Government, burn effigies, call for Bandh

Guwahati, January 4, 2019:

The Koch-Rajbongshi community, one of the six communities asking for granting of ST status from the government of India is staging protests for the Centre’s ‘dilly-dallying’ approach in granting them ST status.

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At around 11:30 am, members of AKRSU took to the streets and burned effigies of Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh. Members of the organization shouted slogans like “No ST no rest” and “BJP go back” to protest against the government’s flip on the issue of granting them ST status.

The other communities seeking granting of tribal status are: Moran, Muttock, Chutia,Tai-Ahom and the Adivasis. The communities, which currently enjoy OBC (other backward class) status, had been promised tribal status by the BJP in the run-up to the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

Speaking to InsideNe, Bongaigaon district secretary, AKRSU, Dilip Baruah said: “The six communities including Koch-Rajbongshis had been promised ST status a long time back and politicians had said the issue would be raised and it would be passed in this Parliament session. In the cabinet decisions taken on Wednesday, no steps were taken to grant ST status to the six communities. This is why we have protested in Bongaigaon, Kokrajhar and Goalpara.”

It is also to be mentioned that the organization has called for a Bandh on January 8.