Kokrajhar, March 22: The Janajati Suraksha Manch, a tribal organisation in Assam, has opposed the fielding of candidates belonging to Sarania and Modahi communities in tribal reserved seats in the BTC election scheduled for April 8, stating that these two communities are not enlisted as tribals.

The Manch, in a press statement, said some Sarania and Modahi members, who are non-notified communities, obtained tribal certificates under the garb of Bodo-Kachari or Rabha notified communities by using surnames like Sarania, Deka, Dekaraja, Modhi, Modahi, Hazarika, Saikia, Das, Thakuria and Talukdar.

'These are surnames used by Sarania, Modahi and other communities who enjoy upgraded social status by using general caste surnames. Boro-Kacharis and Rabhas have their distinct different surnames,' Ashok Kr. Brahma, secretary of Kokrajhar district committee of the Mancha said, adding that 'people from Sarania and Modahi communities holding caste certificates of Boro-Kachari or Rabha are not Scheduled Tribes and are therefore not eligible to contest elections in Scheduled Tribe reserved constituencies'.

Brahma said Gauhati High Court in an interim order observed that Saranias are not enlisted Scheduled Tribe communities although the All Assam Tribal Sangha issues caste certificates to them as Bodo-Kacharis.

'The court ordered the Sangha not to issue such certificates to people of non-notified communities. The order implies that any such certificate issued to Saranias or other non-notified communities under the garb of Bodo-Kachari or Rabha is void,' he said.

Brahma said it has informed the deputy commissioners and sub-divisional officers concerned about the issue and asked them not to accept their applications.

'If the officers consider such certificates as valid and accept nomination papers it will invite all necessary action under the IPC and Prevention of Tribal Atrocities Act, 1989,' he said.