New Delhi: Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi hit out on the Bharatiya Janata Celebration (BJP) Monday for the delay in together with six indigenous communities of Assam within the Scheduled Tribes (ST) listing regardless of a ballot promise made by the get together for a similar in 2016.
He put out a tweet referring to the Centre’s responses to his questions on the matter within the Lok Sabha in December 2021 and July 2023, and alleged that “then Minister of State for residence affairs Kiren Rijiju had mentioned the (inclusion course of) could be full in three months — 8 years on, the individuals of Assam are nonetheless ready!”
Chatting with ThePrint Monday, Bordoloi, an MP from Nowgong, mentioned the delay “exposes the insincerity and indifference of the BJP-led governments on the Centre and state”.
In a written response to Bordoloi’s query on inclusion of those communities within the ST listing, Minister of State for tribal affairs Bishweswar Tudu acknowledged Monday: “The advice for inclusion of Matak, Moran, Tai Ahom and Chutia, Koch Rajbongshi and Tea-Tribes has been obtained from the state authorities of Assam.”
However to Bordoloi’s question on whether or not any proposal had been obtained from the committee constituted by the Assam authorities in January 2019 on the matter, Tudu acknowledged: “The knowledge is being collected.”
On December 13, 2021, the tribal affairs minister had acknowledged in a written response to Bordoloi’s questions on the identical subject: “A committee of ministers was constituted by the then state authorities of Assam on 14.1.2019. No proposal based mostly on the advice of the committee has been obtained.”
Bordoloi advised ThePrint: “The 2 responses simply expose the insincerity and indifference of the BJP-led governments on the state and Centre. Earlier than the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and 2016 Assam meeting elections, they made tall guarantees to the six communities, that are an vital element of Assamese society. The BJP has taken these easy individuals for a journey.”
“They make election guarantees to garner assist after which simply neglect about them,” he added.
Final 12 months, the six communities shaped a joint discussion board known as Soy Janagosthi Joutha Mancha to press for the demand of inclusion within the ST listing.
Assam tribal welfare minister Ranoj Pegu advised ThePrint Monday that the committee constituted by the state authorities was but to submit its report.
“There have been a number of rounds of conferences of the committee. There was additionally a bilateral dialogue between the leaders of the prevailing tribal communities and those which can be demanding inclusion within the ST listing. Within the assembly, it was agreed that the six communities could also be granted ST standing with out affecting the rights and pursuits of current tribes,” mentioned Pegu.
When requested if any deadline had been given to the committee to submit its report, Pegu mentioned: “No deadline has been given.”
(Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui)
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