Guwahati, Nov. 23: The Coordination Committee of the Tribal Organisations of Assam today demanded that the Centre should clarify how it would give Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to six more communities of Assam.

Union minister of state for home affairs Kiren Rijiju had on November 10 told the media that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was considering the proposal to recognise six communities of the state as ST. He said the file related to granting ST status to these communities was with Modi, which, after his approval, would be placed before the Union cabinet and then Parliament.

The six communities that have been demanding ST status are Moran, Muttock, Tai Ahom, Koch Rajbongshi, Sutia and tea tribe. Ulfa has been supporting the demand.

The coordination committee told reporters here that while considering the move to grant ST status to the six communities, the Centre did not take the existing ST communities into confidence. They alleged that the Centre had kept them in the dark regarding its plan to give ST status to these communities.

"We demand that the Centre clarify how it will give ST status to six more communities without depriving the existing ST communities from enjoying their benefits," said Aditya Khakhlari, general secretary of the All Assam Tribal Sangha and a member organisation of the committee.

Besides Sangha, 16 more organisations, including the All Bodo Students' Union (Absu), All Rabha Students' Union, All Tiwa Students' Union, Takam Mising Porin Kebang and the All Assam Sonowal Kachari Students' Union, are members of the committee.

The committee said the move was the BJP's effort to get political mileage for the Assembly elections in Assam next year.

On November 17, Chay Janagosthiya Maha Sanmilan, an organisation representing the six communities, sent a memorandum to the Prime Minister through Assam governor P.B. Acharya, urging him to give his nod for the ST status.

Absu president Promod Boro said the Centre should immediately hold talks with the organisations that have been opposing the grant of ST status to the six communities.

The coordination committee also opposed the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority's proposal to expand the city, saying that the areas to be included in the proposed expansion fall under protected tribal belts and blocks. The committee termed the move "detrimental" and vowed to resist it.