“Proper Reading Removes All Doubt”: Assam CM Urges Calm as ST Report Faces Pushback

The Assam Government has reiterated its commitment to protecting the hopes and aspirations of the state’s indigenous communities while ensuring equal rights and dignity for all.

A key decision taken in Sunday’s Cabinet meeting has already begun showing “early impact,” Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said while addressing the media.

Sarma clarified that the Cabinet had discussed the report on granting Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to six communities — a long-standing and politically sensitive issue in Assam. He noted that much of the recent criticism stemmed from “misinterpretation” or lack of proper reading of the report.

“Today, in our Cabinet meeting, we discussed the report regarding the granting of ST status to six communities and the various discussions that followed,” the Chief Minister said. “We have observed that because some people have not read our report properly, certain individuals—particularly in a few newspapers or media outlets—have made negative comments. The Cabinet firmly believes that this report will pave the way for ST categorisation of the six communities without causing even the slightest harm to existing communities.”

To eliminate any “misunderstanding or misinformation,” the Cabinet has decided that a committee comprising Ministers Ranoj Pegu, Keshab Mahanta, and Pijush Hazarika will invite critics of the report for an open discussion. “They will explain the report so there is no room for doubt. If needed, I am also willing to meet them after their discussion with the Cabinet Committee,” Sarma added.

The development comes amid escalating political reactions. Two prominent Opposition MPs have sharply criticised the state government, calling the tabling of the report in the Assembly “unconstitutional, misleading, and timed to influence voters ahead of the upcoming state elections.” The demand for ST status by six communities has been a contentious issue in Assam for decades, periodically triggering debates over identity, rights, and political representation.

With the Assembly polls approaching, the government’s latest move is expected to further intensify the political discourse surrounding indigenous rights and community safeguards in the state.

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