Tea garden workers’ body flags neglect in Assam during meeting with Jharkhand CM

An organisation representing Assam’s tea garden workers met Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren and apprised him of the deep-rooted social, economic and identity-related hardships faced by tribal communities working in the state’s plantations. 

The delegation, comprising members of the Adivasi Samanvaya Samiti Bharat (Assam), alleged that prolonged neglect by the Assam government has left these groups marginalised across multiple sectors, according to a statement issued by the Jharkhand Chief Minister’s Office.

The CMO statement noted that Soren gave the delegation a patient hearing and conveyed strong support, reaffirming Jharkhand’s commitment to safeguarding Adivasi culture, traditions and rights irrespective of geographic boundaries. He assured that his government would actively engage with concerns raised by Assam’s tea tribe population.

Soren later announced that a team from Jharkhand will soon be sent to Assam to assess the conditions of tribal families settled across tea estates. These workers are descendants of Adivasi labourers taken from regions that now form modern-day Jharkhand during the British era to work in Assam’s plantations.

In a post on X, the chief minister said Jharkhand would initiate efforts to ensure fair wage enhancement for these communities and work toward addressing land-related challenges that continue to impact their socio-economic stability. Soren had earlier written to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in September 2024, urging that Scheduled Tribe (ST) status be granted to the tea tribe community in Assam, a long-standing demand that remains unresolved.