Tai Ahoms demand ST status in Sivasagar protests

Hundreds of members from the Tai Ahom Yuba Parishad (TAYPA) protested in Sivasagar town on Tuesday. They are demanding Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for their community. The protesters carried placards and banners and chanted slogans against the Indian government and Union tribal affairs minister Arjun Munda. The protest began at Muktanath Chariali. However, tensions rose when demonstrators reached strong police barricades that blocked access to the Deputy Commissioner's office. A standoff occurred as protesters tried to break through the security lines. The Tai Ahom community is one of six groups in Assam seeking ST status. The others include Mottocks, Koch Rajbongshis, Sooteas, Morans, and Tea Tribes. The BJP has promised ST status to these communities since the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, but progress has been slow. Currently, they are classified as Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and have played a key role in the BJP’s electoral success in Assam. TAYPA leader Bijoy Rajkonwar expressed frustration over the delay. He said, "We have been waiting patiently for ten years for the BJP government to fulfill its promise of granting our community the ST status." He added that the community is tired of empty assurances and highlighted that Prime Minister Modi had also promised ST status during his 2014 campaign.