All Adivasi Students' Association of Assam to protest in Delhi over ST row

The All Adivasi Students' Association of Assam (Aasaa) is set to hold a significant demonstration at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on December 8, 2023.

This two-hour sit-in aims to highlight the persistent demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for the Adivasis of Assam. 

The protest is expected to draw over 300 members, including leaders from both central and district committees.

The Adivasi community, which includes groups such as Oraons, Santhals, Mundas, Kharias, Bhumij, Gonds, and Sawras, has been recognized as one of the most backward communities in Assam. 

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Their ancestors were brought from the Chotanagpur plateau to work in Assam's tea estates during the early 19th century. While Adivasis in states like Bihar, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand enjoy ST status, those in Assam are still fighting for this recognition.

According to Raja Kujur, the joint secretary of Aasaa's central committee, the BJP has not taken any interest in fulfilling this promise. 

The lack of action on this issue has led to criticism of local leaders, including Dibrugarh Parliamentary constituency MP and Union Minister of state Rameswar Teli, who is also from the tea garden community.

This upcoming protest in the capital city is part of a larger movement by various Adivasi organizations and ethnic tribes seeking recognition and rights that have long been denied to them.