Students 'vandalise' BTC secretariat over Assam cabinet nod to report on ST status to 6 communities

Kokrajhar: Students of the Bodoland University here on Saturday stormed the assembly hall of the BTC secretariat, and allegedly vandalised properties in protest against the Assam cabinet's approval of a report on granting ST status to six other communities of the state, officials said.

Hundreds of tribal students took out a six-km-long march from the university campus to the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) secretariat, where they “broke through the barricades and closed the main gate, before barging into the assembly hall”.

They “vandalised the hall by breaking chairs and other furniture, pulling out mikes, smashing window panes and throwing flower pots around”, the officials said.

Additional security forces were rushed to the spot and the situation brought under control following their negotiations with District Commissioner (DC) Masanda M Pertin and SSP Akshat Garg.

The agitating tribal students also submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, BTC chief Hagrama Mohilary and the Ministry of Tribal Affairs through the DC and SSP, demanding withdrawal of the report within 24 hours.

The state cabinet had on Wednesday approved the report of the Group of Ministers (GoM) on the proposal to grant ST status to six major communities of Assam – Tai Ahom, Chutia, Moran, Motok, Koch-Rajbongshi and Tea Tribes (adivasis).

The students demanded that the BTC chief withdraw the consent given to the report, stating he had no objection to granting ST status to the six communities provided the interests of the existing tribes in the category were not affected.

The protesters claimed they were ''very hurt with this development and if the report is not withdrawn, we will intensify the agitation''. Security has been beefed up around the BTC secretariat, and senior police and civil officials are camping at the spot.

The report of the GoM was expected to be laid in the assembly on the last day of the winter session on Saturday.

The Bodoland University students had staged a protest on the campus, opposing the cabinet's decision and boycotted their third semester final examinations on Thursday.

The All Bodo Students Union (ABSU), along with several allied tribal organisations, on Thursday also took out a torchlight vigil in Kokrajhar town in protest against the cabinet nod.

They argue that extending ST status to additional communities would dilute the rights and constitutional safeguards of the existing tribal groups, affecting opportunities in education and employment.