Guwahati, June 7: Scheduled Tribe communities in Assam today said they would not object if the Centre accorded "constitutional safeguards" to six other communities but would oppose if they were bracketed with the existing ST (plains) communities.

The ST communities, under the banner of Coordination Committee of the Tribal Organisations of Assam, held a meeting here today to discuss the Centre's latest move to enlist Moran, Muttock, Tai Ahom, Chutia, Koch Rajbongshi and tea tribes as ST (plains). Representatives of the literary bodies of seven indigenous communities also joined the meeting.

"We do not have objections if the Centre gives constitutional safeguards to the six communities. We want an amicable solution of their long-standing demand. But they should not be given ST (plains) status. The government should find out ways to accommodate them. So far, the Centre has not made it clear how the six communities will be accommodated," said Aditya Khakhlari, convener of the meeting.

The communities said they would be deprived of existing benefits if the six communities were accorded ST (plains) status. "Some of these communities are more advanced than the existing Scheduled Tribes. If they are enlisted in ST (plains), others will not be able to compete with them," he said.

Fourteen communities in Assam with population strength of around 40 lakh are in the ST (plains) list.

Recently, the Biswajit Ray faction of All Koch-Rajbongshi Students' Union had warned all groups who opposed granting Scheduled Tribe status to the six communities. Ray said granting ST status would make Assam a ST-dominated state, which would ensure the dominance of indigenous people in future.

The movement for ST status for the six communities got a boost when Ulfa said it would shun their demand for an independent Assam if Centre accorded ST status to these communities.

Khakhlari said the Centre's step to accord ST status to the six communities was aimed at wooing them so the BJP could fare well in the 2016 Assembly polls in Assam.

The coordination committee will hold a national convention in New Delhi next month to discuss the issue in detail with experts from across the country. The committee said they would send the resolution of today's meeting to the Registrar General of India, Union home ministry and the state government.

The meeting also demanded ST status for Bodo-Kachari and Mech communities who live in Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao districts in central Assam and Karbi, Man Tai-speaking people, Hmar, Rongmei and Khasi communities living in the state. They also opposed the Centre's land acquisition ordinance.