Haflong (Assam), Nov 30 (PTI) The Dimasa Students’ Union (DSU) on Sunday announced that it will take a rally in Dima Hasao district headquarters Haflong on December three in protest against the Group of Ministers (GoM) report on demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status by six major communities of the state, which was laid in the Assembly.
DSU leaders maintained that extending ST status to six additional communities will dilute the political, constitutional and reservation safeguards of existing tribal groups. The Dimasas are one of the scheduled tribes of Assam.
The protest follows the state government’s move to table the Group of Ministers’ (GoM) report on demand for ST status by the Ahom, Chutia, Moran, Matak, Koch-Rajbongshi and Tea Tribe (Adivasi) communities. If these communities are granted ST status, they will come under reservation for education and jobs.
The students’ body leaders said the December 3 rally is expected to draw large participation from students and tribal groups across Dima Hasao.
The programme will include marches and public addresses urging the state and central governments to withdraw the current proposal and initiate wider consultations with existing ST communities.
The DSU claimed its concerns have been overlooked and that collective opposition is necessary to protect the interests of indigenous communities.
It had earlier submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma registering its objection to the proposal.
The GoM report, which was laid on Saturday, has recommended three-tier classification of STs in the state so that the demand can be met without affecting reservation of the existing tribal groups.
It has further proposed the formation of a new category of ‘ST (Valley)’, and inclusion of Ahom, Chutia, Tea Tribes, and Kock-Rajbongshi (excluding undivided Goalpara) in it.
For Moran, Matak and Kock-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 that dialogue has to continue with all stakeholders for a ‘conclusive solution’, and the final nod has to be given by the Parliament through Constitutional amendment. PTI COR SSG NN
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