GUWAHATI: After BJP national president JP Nadda’s remarks on granting scheduled tribe (ST) status to six communties of the state at a rally at Silchar on Monday, Assam health, finance and education minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the state government would soon file report on the subject.
“BJP national president Nadda reiterated our commitment to grant ST status to six communities without hurting the interests of the existing STs. We will send the report to Delhi soon. Then the process will be initiated in the parliament,” said Sarma.
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While asked whether the announcement of granting ST status would be made before the assembly elections, Sarma said that BJP is not interested in politicising this issue.
“We have already clarified that we are not going to do election-centric politics with this issue. They must get ST status. It is their right. So, BJP supports it,” added minister Sarma.
Currently categorised as Other Backward Classes (OBCs), six indigenous communities of Assam—Koch-Rajbongshi, Tai Ahom, Moran, Matak, Chutia and tea tribes –are demanding for the ST recognition for a long time.
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