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- Six Tribal Communities, Including The Mataks, Took to the Streets in Assam.
Guwahati6 minutes agoAuthor: D. Kumar
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In the last 10 days, the Matk community of Assam is on the streets and has held two big rallies.
Assam is celebrating the death of his famous singer Zubeen Garg these days. Every house is immersed in mourning, but the government here is feeling stressed by a new challenge. This tension is of 6 tribal tribes here. The Matk community of Assam is on the streets in the last 10 days.
The Matak community has held two big rallies. Every time 30 to 40 thousand tribals took to the streets with a torch in hand. The rally took place in Dibrugarh, but it was felt in the entire state including Guwahati. This community is seeking the status of Scheduled Tribes and complete autonomy for itself. There are not only five other tribes, not only the Matak community, who have taken to the streets. These are about 12% of the total population of the state.
The youth are also commanding this movement. Most of the population in the rally crowd is less than 30 years. Sanjay Hazarika, central president of All Assam Matak Student Union, told,
We are basically tribes, but till date we have not received the status. The current government cheated us every time. So now we will continue the movement until a solution comes out. Matak -dominated will take out a rally in every district. Will go to New Delhi and register protest.
Actually, the demand for the Matk community is quite old and their representatives have had several rounds of talks with the government about this, but the solution could not be found. Now the assembly elections in Assam are near, so CM Himanta Biswa Sarma is under stress. They are repeatedly calling the Matak community for talks, but the community has refused. He has come out on the streets.
The Matak community has held two huge rallies. Every time 30 to 40 thousand tribals took to the streets with a torch in hand.
Expert said- Matk community protested on a large scale for the first time
Rajiv Dutt, who has been doing journalism for 2 decades, says that the Matak community has been feeling neglected for years. For the first time, he has protested on such a large scale. Earlier on September 19, there were more than 50 thousand people at the rally in Tinsukia. More than 30 thousand in Dibrugarh rally on 26 September. This mob has also forced the government to think.
The demonstration took place at a time when CM Sarma had invited Matak leaders for a meeting on 25 September after a major protest in Tinsukia a day earlier. The community refused to join. Prior to Matak, last month, in Dibrugarh, the Moran community also launched a big movement for the status of Scheduled Castes. The rally was taken out under the leadership of All Moran Students Union. Its slogan was- ‘No ST, No Rest.’
Union general secretary Jayakanta Moran told Bhaskar that he had a meeting several times with the government in 2014, but nothing happened. This time the entire community is angry. We are in writing everything. So on 25 September, there was talks with CM, he has given time till 25 November. If there is no work in the deadline, then we will make economic blockade in the state.
The youth are also commanding this movement. Most of the population in the rally crowd is less than 30 years.
Understand this … what is the fear of Assam government The other five tribal communities are also accompanied by tea tribe, Tai Ahom, Moran, Chutia and coach Rajbongshi. These are the same communities that the BJP government promised to grant ST status after winning the 2014 general election. In 2011, the total population of Assam is 3.12 crores, 38 lakhs i.e. 12.4% tribals.
If these six tribes get ST status, then they will be 40% of the total population. Therefore, there is doubt among the non -tribals of the state that if the ST population in the state is 50%, then Assam will also become a complete ST state like Nagaland and the rest of the North Eastern states. It will be the compulsion of the Center to include it in the sixth schedule. Then the central government will have to get their permission for all the works.