GUWAHATI: The Chutia community of Assam has expressed anger against the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre and the state for not granting them Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
The community has threatened to vote against the BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls if their demand is not met before 2024.
The Chutia community is not the only one that is demanding ST status. There are five other ethnic groups in Assam that are also seeking ST status. These groups are the Tai Ahom, Koch-Rajbongshi, Maran, Matack and Adivasi (Tea Tribe).
“We will be compelled to take a decision against the NDA government if they fail to introduce a Bill for granting ST status to six communities before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls,” Mohan Chandra Saikia, president of the Chutia Yuva Sanmilan Assam (CYSA) told reporters in Guwahati on Thursday.
“It is clear that the BJP-led NDA government has betrayed us. They did not keep their word for granting ST status to us. No positive development has been noticed in the past nine years of BJP rule. The people of our community have understood that they have no sincerity towards fulfilling our demand,” Saikia said.
“We now realise that the BJP government will use the ST status to six communities a major political tool to win over the next Lok Sabha elections. But we remind them that this political tool will be a factor to damage them in the day to come. Earlier, the political parties which had betrayed us have received our fitting reply,” he added.
“We will be compelled to decide the NDA government if they fail to introduce a Bill for granting ST status to six communities before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls,”Saikia said.
The Chutia community has a population of 10 lakh and is recognized as an Other Backward Class (OBC). They have been demanding ST status for a long time, arguing that they are a distinct ethnic group with a rich culture and history.
The BJP had promised to grant ST status to the Chutia community in the run-up to the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. However, the promise has not been fulfilled yet. In 2016, the BJP came to power in Assam, but the community is still waiting for ST status.
In recent months, the Chutia community has stepped up its protests against the BJP government. They have held demonstrations and submitted memorandums to the government. They have also threatened to boycott the 2024 Lok Sabha polls if their demand is not met.
The BJP government has been accused of delaying the process of granting ST status to these communities. The government has said that it is still considering the matter. However, the Chutia community and other ethnic groups are not satisfied with the government’s response.
The Chutia community is a significant voting bloc in Assam. If they vote against the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, it could have a major impact on the outcome of the elections.
The BJP government needs to take the demand of the Chutia community seriously. If it does not, it could face a major setback in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.