ST status row: Santals threaten Delhi stir as protest moves to Guwahati on Nov 22

Biswanath, Nov 19: Warning that the BJP government would face an “appropriate response” in the 2026 Assembly elections if their long-pending demands, including Scheduled Tribe (ST) status, remain unfulfilled, the All Santal Students’ Union (ASSU) staged a protest at Kachari Field near the Biswanath Deputy Commissioner’s office, on Wednesday.

More than 500 members of the community joined the four-hour sit-in, raising a five-point charter of demands.

Along with ST status, the protesters urged the state government to immediately issue land pattas to all indigenous Santal families residing in Assam.

“The Assam Government has been scamming us for a long time. I urge the authorities to stop playing with people’s emotions. Before every election, they promise ST status to six communities, but nothing concrete has happened so far,” the organising secretary of ASSU said.

They also pressed for the earliest issuance of Santal-specific caste certificates and full implementation of every clause of the Tripartite Adivasi Peace Accord signed in 2022.

The demonstrators further demanded the expansion of Santal language education in schools across the state and the appointment of an adequate number of teachers.

The protesters added that if their demands remain unmet, the Santal community would deliver a “befitting reply” to the BJP government in the 2026 Assembly polls.

“Tomorrow we will protest in Chirang district, and on November 22 we will hold another protest in Chachal, Guwahati. If our demands are still ignored, we will take our agitation to Jantar Mantar in Delhi,” a protester said, adding that they were prepared to meet the President of India if required.

“If even after meeting the President there is no meaningful solution, then in the 2026 elections the Santal community will give the BJP government a fitting response,” he concluded.