Assam: Zubeen Garg Urges Communities to Come Together as 'Assamese' Instead of Demanding Privileges

Guwahati, December 25, 2019:

Assam icon Zubeen Garg has drawn the ire of the Kalita community after he said that the communities, instead of demanding special rights and privileges, should instead just focus on being Axomia (or "Assamese") instead.

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At a recent rally against the Citizenship Amendment Act in Barpeta on Tuesday, Zubeen Garg said, "Don't want any of this -- we just need to be united as Assamese. I do not want ST status for being a Kalita."

Garg's comments come in the wake of the All Assam Kalita Janagusti Students’ Union (AAKJSU) demanding 50 per cent reservation in the government sector jobs for the next five years.

The AAKJSU has also demanded 40 per cent reservation in the medical and engineering seats in Assam, besides demanding reservation in the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) as well as the Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) exams.

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The Kalita Students’ Union has been raising its demands of Scheduled Tribe (ST) status time and again but the state government has not yet responded to their demands. President of AAKJSU, Anupal Dutta Pathak said, “Since 1988, Kalita Janagosthi has been demanding ST status but government didn’t respond to our demand.”

Apart from the Kalitas, 6 other prominent communities from Assam have also been demanding ST status. They are: Koch-Rajbongshis, Moran, Motok, Tai-Ahom, Tea Tribes, and Chutias.

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