Curious Timing or Calculated Move? Assam Govt Faces Heat Over Six Communities’ ST Push

The long-standing demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status by six indigenous communities has once again set off political tremors in Assam, with two prominent Opposition MPs — Ajit Kumar Bhuyan and Pradyut Bordoloi — sharply criticising the state government for tabling a report in the Assembly that they describe as unconstitutional, misleading, and timed to influence voters ahead of the state elections.

Rajya Sabha MP Ajit Bhuyan was among the first to react strongly, alleging that the government had submitted the report without possessing any legal authority to do so. He argued that only an expert committee could prepare a legitimate assessment and accused the state cabinet of attempting to create the perception of progress where none existed. Bhuyan said the government was merely trying to “put on a symbolic cap” to show intent, while the report itself lacked the constitutional validity required to move the process forward.

Bhuyan further charged the government with deliberately using the issue to divide Assam’s ethnic communities and foment unrest. According to him, the timing of the report — tabled just ahead of the Assembly elections — reveals an attempt to influence public sentiment rather than to address the substantive concerns of the six communities. He also accused the ruling party of instructing its district units to celebrate the submission of the report as a political victory, despite no discussion being allowed in the Assembly after it was tabled. Bhuyan called the entire exercise a “deceptive strategy” aimed at countering the ongoing protest programmes in Upper Assam organised by groups demanding ST status.

Meanwhile, Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi also delivered a scathing critique, claiming that the government’s move was designed to generate fear among communities that currently enjoy ST status. He said that by projecting uncertainty and highlighting potential conflicts, the government was attempting to unsettle these groups and create unnecessary tension around the issue. Bordoloi pointed out that the Mandal Commission had clearly stated reservation quotas should not surpass 50 per cent, yet the report tabled by the Assam government made no mention of this critical limitation.

The Congress leader reminded that during the UPA regime, Assam had already submitted an all-party recommendation to the Centre on the matter, raising questions about the necessity and intent behind the present report. He issued a strong warning to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma not to instigate “fratricidal conflict” in the state, and accused the BJP government — both at the Centre and in the state — of betraying the six communities since 2014 by repeatedly promising ST status but failing to deliver.

Both leaders reiterated that their parties, and past state governments, have consistently supported the demand of the six communities — Koch-Rajbongshi, Tai-Ahom, Chutia, Moran, Matak and the Adivasi (Tea Tribe) community. However, they argued that the present report contains neither legal merit nor clarity, and serves primarily as a political tool rather than a policy document.

With protests continuing in Upper Assam and the Assembly elections drawing closer, the latest controversy over the ST status issue has set the stage for a renewed and intensified political confrontation in the state.

Assam CM Challenges Congress to Present Alternative ST Proposal Within 48 Hours

Amid intensifying political debate over the report on granting Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to six communities in Assam, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has issued a direct challenge to the Congress, asking the Opposition to submit its own proposal within 48 hours if it believes the government’s recommendations are inadequate or flawed.

Speaking at a workshop on electoral roll revision in Guwahati, the Chief Minister defended the government’s report as “scientific and evidence-based,” asserting that every recommendation had been prepared after consulting tribal organisations. Sarma said the report reflects “exactly what the 'Tribal Sanghs' had demanded,” and urged the Congress to present a stronger alternative if it has one.

“If there is anything good in our report, acknowledge it. If not, give us your version within 48 hours. Otherwise, accept that our report is sound,” he said.

The Chief Minister also addressed concerns about irregularities in the electoral roll, stating that Congress BLOs will be present during the revision process and emphasising that any illegally added names must be flagged immediately. His remarks come at a time when both the ruling and Opposition parties have been raising allegations of manipulation in voter lists ahead of the next election cycle.

Responding to Congress criticism over the ST report, Sarma accused the party of reacting irresponsibly and without clarity. Using a sharp metaphor, he likened the Congress to “a cat that jumps at the sight of frying fish, even when it is in someone else’s house,” suggesting that the party is attempting to exploit every issue without understanding its substance. “Congress today behaves exactly like that,” he remarked, adding that the Opposition lacks both direction and constructive proposals.

Sarma reiterated that the government is committed to safeguarding the interests of existing Scheduled Tribe groups and insisted that the newly tabled report does not compromise their rights. According to him, the Opposition is merely attempting to create confusion and unrest over an issue that has been handled through consultations and expert inputs.

With political tempers rising and the six-communities’ ST issue becoming increasingly central to Assam’s pre-election landscape, Sarma’s 48-hour ultimatum has added a fresh layer of confrontation between the ruling BJP and the Congress. The Opposition has yet to respond to the challenge.

Also Read: Cotton Boils Over: 500+ Students Protest Govt’s Six-Community ST Proposal