Zilla Parishad quota sparks stir in Sivasagar; ATASU issues 48-hr ultimatum

Sivasagar, July 30: Student bodies and civil society groups in Sivasagar staged a protest rally on Wednesday, opposing the government's decision to reserve the post of Sivasagar Zilla Parishad (ZP) President for Scheduled Tribes (STs).

Led by the All Tai Ahom Students’ Union (ATASU), hundreds of protestors marched towards the office of the District Commissioner, raising slogans against what they termed a “divisive political move”.

“They did not announce this before the elections. Why now? The BJP is trying to appease various communities,” said ATASU leader Bhaskar Buragohain, demanding the decision be revoked within 48 hours.

Buragohain claimed that Ahoms make up approximately 78% of the district's population, compared to just 6% tribal residents.

“Despite being the majority, Ahoms have never sought exclusive reservation of key posts. We want Sivasagar to remain inclusive. But now, this decision is causing unrest,” he added.

Another ATASU leader, Milan Buragohain, accused the BJP of long ignoring the Ahom community's demand for Scheduled Tribe status.

“They’ve already split the Ahom population through delimitation. Now, they’ve taken away representation by reserving the ZP President’s post,” he said.

ATASU protestors head towards the District Commissioner's office in Sivasagar on Wednesday (AT Photo)

Milan warned that if the government didn’t reverse the move, the community would express its anger at the ballot box. “We will be compelled to vote Himanta Biswa Sarma and the BJP out of power in 2026,” he declared.

Police personnel were deployed to maintain law and order during the rally.

The government, meanwhile, have been defending the move, saying it was in line with legal provisions.

On July 24, Assam Law Minister Ranjeet Dass clarified that the reservation of ZP President posts is governed by population-based criteria and applies only to Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and women.

“The reservation is not for Morans, Mataks, or other communities. It is only for SCs and STs. Even if a community like the Kalitas is dominant in a district, the law does not allow for their inclusion. The process was transparent, conducted on camera in the presence of all political parties, and no objections were raised at that time,” Dass had said.

However, Dass added that he was open to reviewing the concerns of the Ahom community. “If they have raised objections, I will bring it to the notice of the government,” he said.