In a sharp condemnation of what he termed governmental inaction, Raijor Dal chief and Sivasagar MLA Akhil Gogoi staged a demonstration on Saturday, November 29, outside the Assam Legislative Assembly. The legislator’s protest was driven by the urgent demand for the state and central governments to immediately grant Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to six indigenous communities of Assam, a matter on which he accused authorities of sustained delays and broken promises.
Addressing the assembled protesters, Gogoi reiterated the long-pending demand for tribal recognition for the Ahom, Chutia, Matak, Moran, Koch-Rajbongshi, and Tea Tribe communities. He directed strong criticism toward the political establishment, alleging a systemic pattern of denial regarding their tribal status. The MLA highlighted the Ahom community’s sacrifice for broader unity, stating, “We are Ahom, but we embrace the Assamese identity. We sacrificed our distinct recognition for unity, yet we continue to remain deprived,” and strongly urged the government to rectify these historical injustices.
Gogoi pointed out that a bill aiming to grant ST status to the six communities was introduced in the Rajya Sabha back in 2019, yet he noted that no concrete advancement has been seen since then. He went on to specifically allege that the process is being deliberately impeded by the BJP and the RSS, which he attributed to a “Brahmanical mindset” that he claims opposes tribal recognition for these specific groups.
The protest extended beyond the six communities, with Gogoi also calling on authorities to include the Kalita, Nath–Yogi, Madahi, and Saodang communities within the tribal framework. Furthermore, he presented the major demand for Assam to be officially declared a tribal state as a measure to comprehensively safeguard indigenous rights. Asserting that this was a fundamental issue of equity, he concluded his address by stating, “This is not a demand for privilege — this is a demand for justice,” and issued a warning that the movement will intensify if the government persists in its current state of inactivity.
