Assam: Koch Rajbongshi delegation meets Union ministers, presses for tribal status and political representation

Representatives of the Koch Rajbongshi community in Assam on Thursday, December 18 intensified their long-standing demand for tribal recognition, holding a series of meetings with senior Union ministers and Members of Parliament from the state.

A delegation comprising members of the All Assam Koch Rajbongshi Convention, Assam Sahitya Sabha, and the Koch Rajbongshi Sangram Samiti met Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and other Assam MPs to discuss the inclusion of the Koch Rajbongshi community in the Scheduled Tribes (ST) list.

The delegation also held detailed discussions with Union Minister of Tribal Affairs Jual Oram, urging the Centre to expedite the process for granting tribal status. Ranaditya Barman, General Secretary of the All Assam Koch Rajbongshi Convention, said the community was hopeful that the central government would take a decisive and time-bound step to address their demand.

During the interaction, Union ministers informed the delegation that the report submitted by Assam ministers to the State Legislative Assembly on the matter has not yet reached the Centre. It was further stated that Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has reportedly expressed displeasure over the delay in forwarding the report to New Delhi.

Apart from tribal recognition, the delegation also raised the issue of political representation, with a community representative demanding that the Bharatiya Janata Party nominate a Koch Rajbongshi leader for a Rajya Sabha seat from Assam. The demand, they said, reflects the community’s aspiration for a stronger voice in both state and national decision-making.