News Item-6 ethnic groups of Assam do not meet criteria: Centre

6 ethnic groups do not meet criteria: Centre (Source:Assam Tribune, 23rd August 2013)

NEW DELHI, Aug 22 ,2013- Setting at rest all speculations over granting Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to six communities of the State, the Tribal Affairs Ministry has declared that the communities could not fulfil the five criteria for identification as scheduled tribes.

 

In what could yet again spell trouble for the Tarun Gogoi Government, Tribal Affairs Minister V Kishore Chandra Deo has sought to clarify once and for all, the Centres stand on the demand for grant of ST status to the six communities, in a reply to a Rajya Sabha question by Santiuse Kujur.

 

The Government of Assam had recommended ST status for the Koch-Rajbongshi, Tai Ahom, Moran, Mattak and tea tribe communities on various occasions. But these communities could not fulfil the criteria, he declared.

 

The proposal for identification of communities for inclusion in the list of Scheduled Tribes should meet the five criteria. These include: indications of primitive traits, distinctive culture, geographical isolation, shyness of contact with the community at large and backwardness.

 

In reply to a question, the Minister further ruled out the possibility of expediting the recommendations of the State Government.

 

The Minister also clarified that it has not received any proposal from the Government of Assam for inclusion of the Tiwa community in the list of ST. The issue considered politically sensitive for the State Government, is also part of the charter of demands submitted by the pro-talk faction of ULFA.

 

The six communities have been for long demanding ST status. In 1996, the UF Government had issued an ordinance including the six communities in the ST list.

 

The Bill to this effect was introduced in the Lok Sabha during that period, but because of opposition from various tribal members including Jayanta Rongpi, the then Speaker PA Sangma set up a Parliamentary Select Committee under the chairmanship of MP Amar Rai Pradhan to go into the issue. The Parliamentary Select Committee in its report recommended that not only the Koch Rajbongshi community, status of other communities including the Chutia, Mattak, Moran and Tai Ahom be rescheduled. It suggested that the entire OBC and MOBC list be upgraded to the Scheduled List.