Thousands of Adivasis stage massive protest during Himanta’s event in Tinsukia; Assam CM backs their demands

A sea of Adivasis and tea-garden workers poured into Assam’s Tinsukia town on October 8, transforming the Hukan Pukhuri playground into a massive protest site as they demanded long-overdue rights, Scheduled Tribe (ST) status, land pattas, and higher wages.

The protest erupted even as Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was addressing a public gathering during a seed fund distribution ceremony for over 14,000 women entrepreneurs. 

Chanting slogans and waving placards, the demonstrators converged on the venue from three directions, their unified voices echoing decades of frustration and unfulfilled promises.

Placards demanded official recognition for the Adivasi and tea-garden communities, lamenting the lack of opportunities in education, employment, and social welfare. Others highlighted the plight of landless families and called for urgent increases in daily wages for tea workers.

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Amid the charged atmosphere, Chief Minister Sarma acknowledged the protesters’ concerns, saying, “The protest is correct as their demands are genuine and for the welfare of the community. Even our party leaders will participate — the BJP supports their cause.”

He further added that his government was open to dialogue and determined to find long-term solutions to the Adivasi community’s issues. 

“We will ensure every deserving group in Assam gets their due rights and recognition,” Sarma assured.

The large-scale demonstration in Tinsukia — one of the biggest by the Adivasi and tea-garden communities in recent times — underscored growing discontent over the slow pace of welfare reforms and the long-pending demand for Scheduled Tribe status in Assam.