Will seek ST status for 6 OBC groups after clearing hurdles: Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma

GUWAHATI: Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday said the government will move forward on the issue of granting ST tag to Assam’s six OBC communities after the ‘complications in implementation’ are removed.
The announcement comes amid protests by the six communities of the state for not being included in the ST list released by the Centre recently.
“The Assam government supports and wants the six communities to get the ST status. But there are some complications in implementation, which we are trying to resolve. Once these complications are removed, we can move forward,” Sarma said. This is an election promise BJP has been making since 2014 .
He added that the Union cabinet has already approved grating of tribal status to these six communities — Tai Ahom, Koch Rajbongshi, Chutia, Moran, Matak and Tea Tribe — comprising as many as 36 different adivasi groups. “The Bill has also been introduced in the Rajya Sabha,” Sarma said.
The Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2019, which was introduced in the Rajya Sabha on January 9, 2019, proposes amending Part II of the order which specifies the Scheduled Tribes in Assam. The Bill proposes inserting 41 entries for granting ST status to these communities, which include the six communities of Assam. The Bill is pending in the upper house.
Once the six communities are granted ST status, tribals will constitute 40% of the state’s total population. At present, 29 communities of the state are STs of which 15 tribes are in the two hill districts of Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao.
The Koch Rajbonghsi community was granted ST status in 1996 through an ordinance for six months only.
Just before the 2021 assembly election, the BJP-led state government constituted four autonomous councils. Three of these were for the three communities which were up in arms for ST status.