First formal meet: Tribal body submits interim suggestions & objections on ST report
The organisation reiterated its concern that the proposed changes could impact the rights and benefits of existing tribal groups.
Guwahati, Dec 5: The Coordination Committee of Tribal Organisations, Assam (CCTOA) expressed reservations over certain points in the Group of Ministers’ (GoM) report on granting Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to six communities during a meeting with State Tribal Affairs Minister Dr Ranoj Pegu on Thursday.
The tribal body, however, maintained that the issues can be resolved through continued dialogue with the government.
During its first formal meeting with the State government on the GoM report, the CCTOA submitted its interim suggestions and objections. The organisation reiterated its concern that the proposed changes could impact the rights and benefits of existing tribal groups, who had earlier protested against the recommendations by burning copies of the GoM report.
One of the key objections raised by the CCTOA was that the proposed ST(V) category should not be made applicable to the Central government-related benefits, be it jobs, administration or admission in any institution. The organisation further demanded that the undivided Goalpara district be kept outside the ambit of granting ST status to the Koch-Rajbongshi community, arguing that doing so would help safeguard the tribal population under the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) and the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council.
The government assured that no rights of existing Scheduled Tribes would be curtailed under the proposed framework.
Dr Pegu, who chaired the meeting, said, “As per the Cabinet decision of November 30, 2025, I met the CCTOA to discuss the GoM report. The recommendations and the measures proposed to safeguard existing ST communities were explained in detail.”
Pegu added that CCTOA was advised to examine ‘chapters five and six’ of the report together for clarity. “Based on our clarifications, they informed us that they will form an expert committee and submit a report within a month,” he said.
CCTOA chief coordinator Aditya Khaklari said the organisation’s stand remains rooted in concerns over the welfare of existing tribal communities. “We have been opposing the proposal because it will affect the existing tribal population of the State, which already faces numerous challenges. After studying the recommendations, we felt the existing tribes could face curtailment of benefits. That is why we burned the report,” he said.
The tribal body has also decided to constitute a consultative group comprising tribal intellectuals, legislators and retired judges. It has sought a Chief Minister-level discussion, followed by a tripartite meeting involving the Union Home Minister, the Chief Minister of Assam and CCTOA.
All forms of protest have been suspended in view of the ongoing talks.
With regard to the Motok community, CCTOA demanded a more reliable identification and verification mechanism for determining ST(P) eligibility, stating that surnames alone are insufficient for establishing identity.
By
Staff Reporter