Bodo Students Protest Assam's Proposal For Special Status To 6 Communities

Thousands of students from a tribal community in Assam's Kokrajhar region forcefully entered the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) secretariat during a massive rally protesting the Assam cabinet's approval of a report on granting Scheduled Tribes status to six other communities of the state. The protesters allegedly vandalised parts of the secretariat.

The six-kilometre-long march began at Bodoland University and headed towards the BTC Secretariat in Kokrajhar, where tensions flared as protesters broke through barricades and barged into the secretariat's assembly hall. They allegedly vandalised the hall by breaking chairs and other furniture.

Protesters accused the government of undermining the rights of the Bodo community and diluting their political, educational and economic safeguards.

The Bodos, the largest tribal group in the state, are opposing the Assam government's approval of a 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 Bodos and the other existing tribal groups feel that this decision will reduce their share of reservation benefits and representation.

Massive security deployment has been reported in Kokrajhar, police sources said.

The protests are expected to intensify as powerful student organisations, like All Bodo Students Union (ABSU), are likely to join the protests.

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 took out a torchlight vigil in Kokrajhar town in protest against the cabinet's decision.