Guwahati, March 24: Ganamukti Sangram, Assam, the newly floated political party, has demanded that the Centre grant "special status" to Assam under Article 371 (A) of the Constitution and also Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to six communities of the state.
Akhil Gogoi, spokesperson for the party, in the first press communiqué issued this evening, said the granting of special status would ensure the exclusive rights of the people of Assam over land and all other natural resources.
He said the special status would also prevent alleged exploitation of natural resources of the state by the Centre and various other organisations.
Ganamukti Sangram was launched during the fourth biennial conference of the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) at Moran in Upper Assam's Sivasagar district on March 20.
The party also said granting ST status to Koch-Rajbongshi, Tai Ahom, Moran, Muttock, Chutia and tea tribe communities would protect their indigenous identity and help them get various economic and academic advantages.
The issue today also figured in the state Assembly.
Akhil said Ganamukti Sangram, Assam, and the KMSS would both launch a vigorous agitation in case the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre fails to announce its policy decision on the ST status within March 31.
Over 60 Assembly constituencies in Assam could have ST majority if the Centre recognises the six communities as Scheduled Tribes.
On the other hand, various organisations demanding ST status staged demonstrations and burned the effigy of Union minister of tribal affairs Jual Oram across the state today in protest against a section of media reports that the Centre had rejected the proposal of granting ST status to six communities.
Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi, while interacting with reporters outside the Assembly, said he had also heard about the reports in the media. "But the Centre has not informed the state government about such a move. The Centre has neither accepted nor denied such media reports," Gogoi added.
Congress MLA Bhupen Kumar Borah drew the attention of the state government to reports about the Centre's decision not to grant ST status to six communities in Assam by raising the issue in the House as a point of order.
Backward classes welfare minister Bismita Gogoi said they had come to learn about it from reports appearing in a section of media but they are yet to receive any formal communication from the Centre in this regard.
Congress MLA Pijush Hazarika said the state government should seek a clarification from the Centre on this matter and the Speaker agreed to it.
An all-party Assembly delegation led by Speaker Pranab Kumar Gogoi had met Union home minister Rajnath Singh and Oram in Delhi in November last year and urged them to provide ST status to these six communities.
