Koch Rajbongshis press Assam govt to grant ST status before 2026 polls

Guwahati: A delegation of the All Koch Rajbongshi Students’ Union (AKRSU), along with members of ten Koch Rajbongshi organisations, on Sunday, December 14, met Assam Tribal Affairs Minister Ranoj Pegu in Dispur to press their long-standing demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

During the meeting, the delegation discussed the pending ST status report and urged the state government to speed up its submission to the Centre, stressing that the report should be sent to New Delhi at the earliest to allow the process to move forward at the national level.

The Koch Rajbongshi organisations called on the government to grant ST status to six communities before the 2026 Assam Assembly elections, reiterating their demand.

While the leaders acknowledged some recent steps taken by the state government and expressed partial satisfaction, they maintained that the community would continue its movement until ST status is officially granted.

They warned that further protests would follow if the process is delayed.

The organisations also said they plan to approach central authorities, including the Registrar General of India (RGI), the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST), and the Union Minister for Tribal Affairs, seeking early clearance of the tribalisation report.

AKRSU further cautioned against any opposition to the tribalisation of the six communities, noting that resistance from tribal bodies could have serious socio-political implications in Assam.

Leaders of AKRSU and the ten Koch Rajbongshi organisations are set to travel to New Delhi on Tuesday to meet the Union Tribal Affairs Minister and other central officials to pursue their demand.