Schedule tribe bill strike hits BTC, Hojai

  • | Saturday | 12th January, 2019

Our members were also manhandled by other youth organisations who are in favour of granting ST status to the six communities. When all these communities will be granted ST status, they will be by default eligible for competition in government jobs and others reserved for the existing tribal people, leading to more complications.” GUWAHATI: The 12-hour dawn-to-dusk statewide bandh on Friday called by the Coordination Committee of the Tribal Organisations of Assam (CCTOA), a conglomeration of several tribal organisations of the state, received a mixed response across the state. Traffic on NH 35 at Dobaka in Hojai district was also affected due to the bandh. The CCTOA feared that granting ST status to these six communities would severely impact the development and socio-political reservations held by the existing tribal communities.Khakhlari added, “The bill will eliminate the rights of the existing tribal people and push them to corners.

GUWAHATI: The 12-hour dawn-to-dusk statewide bandh on Friday called by the Coordination Committee of the Tribal Organisations of Assam (CCTOA), a conglomeration of several tribal organisations of the state, received a mixed response across the state. While the capital city remained unaffected, bandh and protests crippled normal life in several districts under Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) and central Assam.“The bandh was a success and people have supported it spontaneously. Several of our agitators were detained by police across the state. Our members were also manhandled by other youth organisations who are in favour of granting ST status to the six communities. We have taken action to file a police complaint too,” Aditya Kahkhlari, chief convenor of CCTOA, said.Around 30 bandh supporters were detained by Jagiroad Police after they created a ruckus and allegedly tried to block the National Highway in Jagiroad on Friday morning. Protesters burnt tyres on the road to mark their protest against the proposed Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Amendment Bill.In Kajalgaon area of Chirang district under BTC, government employees and commuters were allegedly harassed by bandh supporters. “Police acted immediately and picked up many of the protesters. Commuters were given escorts too,” said Chirang Police sources. Normal life was paralyzed in Kokrajhar and adjoining areas as well during the bandh. Traffic on NH 35 at Dobaka in Hojai district was also affected due to the bandh. Some 20 persons were detained by police in Lanka area.The tribal body had called for the strike against the Centre’s move to grant schedule tribe (ST) status to six communities in Assam, namely Tai Ahoms, Koch Rajbongshis, Chutiyas, Tea Tribes, Morans and Mataks. The CCTOA feared that granting ST status to these six communities would severely impact the development and socio-political reservations held by the existing tribal communities.Khakhlari added, “The bill will eliminate the rights of the existing tribal people and push them to corners. When all these communities will be granted ST status, they will be by default eligible for competition in government jobs and others reserved for the existing tribal people, leading to more complications.”

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