Guwahati, Jul 29 (PTI) NDA constituent Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) MLA Rupam Chandra Roy on Wednesday questioned the BJP-led Assam government over the delay in granting Scheduled Tribe status to six communities of the state.
Raising the matter in the Assembly during Zero Hour, the first-time MLA said the issue gets delayed every time the government report on granting ST status is discussed.
“We want the granting of ST status to all six communities as soon as possible. I urge the government to do the needful in this direction without affecting the existing STs,” Roy said.
Assam Tribal Affairs (Plain) Minister Ranoj Pegu said granting ST status to any community is purely a central subject and the state government has sent proposals in this direction on multiple occasions.
“Unless the Registrar General of India gives a positive report and a bill is passed in Parliament, it cannot be done. The central government asked us for modalities in this matter and we have already submitted a report in the Assembly,” he added.
In the meantime, the Assam government has reserved some seats for these communities in medical colleges run by the state, Pegu said.
Assam’s Moran, Motok, Chutia, Tai-Ahom, Koch-Rajbongshi and Tea Tribe communities have been demanding ST status for many years, while multiple assurances for granting the reservation are regularly offered by many senior BJP leaders and ministers.
On July 14, during the ongoing Budget session, opposition Congress and Raijor Dal had staged a walkout from Assam Assembly over not giving Scheduled Tribe status to six indigenous communities of the state.
Leader of the Opposition, Wajed Ali Choudhury, had raised the issue as Special Mention under Rule 301 and wanted to know when the ST status will be accorded to the communities.
A Group of Ministers (GoM) of the state government had submitted an interim report with its recommendations on the demand for ST status to the Assembly in November last year. The report is yet to be sent to the Centre.
The GoM report recommended a three-tier reservation classification of STs in the state so that the demand can be met without affecting the reservation of the existing tribal groups. If these communities are granted ST status, they will come under reservation for education and jobs.
The GoM proposed the formation of a new category of ‘ST (Valley)’, and inclusion of Tai-Ahom, Chutia, Tea Tribes, and Koch-Rajbongshi (excluding undivided Goalpara) in it.
For Moran, Motok and Koch-Rajbongshi (Goalpara), it said they can be included in ‘ST (Plains)’, and the existing communities in this category “do not have much opposition”, the report said.
It said dialogue has to continue with all stakeholders for a “conclusive solution”, and the final nod has to be given by Parliament through a constitutional amendment. PTI TR TR ACD
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.