Silchar: A united mass rally was held in Silchar on Friday by several tribal student bodies and community organisations from Barak Valley protesting the proposal to grant Scheduled Tribe status to six communities of Assam.

The groups argued that these communities are socially and economically more advanced than the existing Scheduled Tribe groups and that the move would dilute the rights and safeguards meant for current ST populations.

Representatives of Dimasa, Bodo, Mising, Karbi and Tripuri groups gathered at Dimasa Sahitya Sabha Bhawan on PWD Road and marched to Narsinghtola Ground. After the rally, they submitted a memorandum addressed to the District Commissioner. Magistrate Anjali Kumar received the document on behalf of the DC.

The demonstration was jointly organised by the All Dimasa Students’ Union (Cachar District Committee), All Bodo Students’ Union (Silchar Unit), Takam Mising Porin Kebang (Barak Valley Unit), Dimasa Phoriyasa Hosom (Assam University), Assam University Karbi Students’ Union, Tripura People’s Welfare and Research Organisation, along with several Dimasa community organisations.

The groups reiterated that the proposed inclusion of the six communities in the ST list would have far-reaching implications for smaller tribal groups in the state and urged the government to reconsider the move.

Promotional | North East Integration Rally