'Tribal Sangha' Meets Amit Shah in Delhi, Opposes ST Status to OBC Communities

New Delhi, July 6, 2019:

An 8-member delegation of Assam's 'Tribal Sangha' met Union Home Minister Amit Shah asking opposing the granting of Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to the six agitating communities of the state (namely, the Ahom, Moran, Motok, Chutia, Koch-Rajbongshi and Tea Tribes).

The delegation was led by Aditya Khaklari and the delegation also submitted a memorandum to the Home Minister urging him to stop the granting of ST status to the six prominent communities of Assam who have been staging protests and agitations in that regard for a while now.

It may be mentioned that several indigenous groups such as the All Assam Tribal Sangha, Bodoland Janajati Suraksha Manch, All Rabha Students’ Union, Garo Students’ Union, All Bodo Students Union, and People’s Joint Action Committee for Boroland Movement (PJACBM) have staged protests demanding that ST rights not be given to the six agitating communities.

The tribal groups have demanded that instead of granting ST status to six OBC communities, they should be provided with appropriate and adequate governmental support within their own reservation quota.

The tribal organisations opined that the original and existing 14 scheduled tribes will not have representation in the Panchayati Raj institutions, urban bodies, municipalities, state assembly and in Indian Parliament if the six advanced and populous communities are given the ST status.

The tribal bodies have also appealed to elected representatives to aid them in this crusade.  “Do not allow to make non-STs to become STs only for political purpose at the cost of existing minority STs as it is your duty and responsibility to give protection to existing ST whom you represent,” the tribal bodies called upon the Rajya Sabha MP Biswajit Daimary.

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