We want ST status, land rights Adivasi Students body stage protest

Guwahati: The All Adivasi Students Association of Assam (AASAA) staged a protest in front of the District Commissioner’s office in Dibrugarh on Wednesday, pressing for various demands benefitting the Adivasi community of the state.

The protesters demanded Scheduled Tribes (ST) status for Assam’s Adivasi population, land rights, correct caste certificates and implementation of the Minimum Wage Act.

One of the key demands was the grant of Scheduled Tribes (ST) status to the Adivasi people of Assam.

In addition to ST status, the AASAA also demanded land rights for all Adivasi people living in tea gardens, forest areas and villages in Assam.

Another important demand made by the AASAA for correct caste certificates for Adivasi students in order to access educational opportunities and scholarships.

The protesters also called for a hike in the minimum daily wage of tea garden workers from Rs 250 to Rs 550 citing the rising cost of living and working condition of tea workers.

At the end of the protest, a memorandum signed by AASAA Dibrugarh district president Siba Kurmi and general secretary Monuj Oraon was sent to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma through the District Commissioner.