Over 10,000 rally in Sadiya over ST status for Tai Ahom; govt warned of fallout
Protesters warned that failure to deliver the status by 2026 would lead to electoral repercussions for the ruling party in Ahom-majority areas
A file image of Tai Ahom protesting for ST status in Sadiya (Photo: AT)
Sadiya, Sept 28: In a massive public demonstration on September 26, over 10,000 people from across the Sadiya subdivision staged a rally demanding Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for the Tai Ahom community.
The protest, jointly organised by several Tai Ahom groups, began at Bir Lachit Stadium in Chapakhowa and culminated at the Sadiya Government Higher Secondary School playground.
Protesters formed a human chain along the National Highway, carrying bamboo torches (jor) and chanting slogans including “No ST, No Rest” and “BJP Has Failed Us,” among others.
During the concluding session, leaders asserted that, if their demand is not addressed before the 2026 Assam Assembly elections, they would intensify their agitation across Ahom-populated regions.
Manoranjan Gogoi, Joint Secretary of Assam’s Tai Ahom Yuba Parishad Central Committee, clarified that the movement is a grassroots initiative, independent of any political party.
“Everyone gathered here to warn the present government that they have to grant the Tai Ahom community ST status,” he said, accusing government of postponement and broken promises.
He recalled that in 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah had promised ST status for six communities including the Tai Ahom, but the promise “remained under dusts".
Gogoi warned that failure to deliver the status by 2026 would lead to electoral repercussions for the ruling party in Ahom-majority areas.
The Sadiya protest echoes earlier demonstrations that have been carried out by the six communities across Assam.
In Moran earlier this month, the Tai Ahom Youth Council staged a night protest on National Highway 37, warning of political fallout if the ST status delay continued.
On September 15, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, while addressing the press, in Kokrajhar assured that he is in contact with community organisations and a report on ST demands will get tabled in November.
However, he also added sharply that statewide protests will only delay the entire process and that he is taking the issue forward promptly.
As the momentum builds, Tai Ahom organisations have vowed to keep the pressure on through peaceful rallies. They have given clear signals that the coming months will be crucial and that government inaction may come at a steep political cost.