Tea tribe community deprived of ST status, basic rights under BJP rule, says Congress leader Roselina Tirkey

Working President of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee, Roselina Tirkey, has strongly criticized the BJP-led government, alleging systematic neglect of the Tea Tribes community in Assam. Speaking to the media on Monday, Tirkey said that while Tea Tribes are recognized as Scheduled Tribes (ST) in other parts of the country, they continue to be denied this constitutional status in Assam.

"The Tea Tribes community has long been deprived of educational reservations and socio-economic benefits that come with ST recognition. The BJP government has failed to address this persistent injustice," Tirkey said.

She further emphasized that key protective legislations such as the Plantation Labour Act and Industrial Law were more actively enforced during the Congress regime. "These laws were introduced to safeguard the rights of tea workers, but under BJP rule, they remain largely unimplemented," she claimed.

Tirkey also accused the government of denying even the basic minimum wage of ₹351 per day to tea garden workers, highlighting the deteriorating conditions in tea estates. "It is disheartening to see that the very leaders and ministers who should be ensuring the welfare of these workers are now purchasing tea gardens for themselves. Look at how Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is acquiring one tea estate after another," she alleged.

The Congress leader warned that the consistent marginalization of Tea Tribes and the undermining of their rights is creating deep socio-political unrest and resentment within the community.