Government has failed to solve our issues, alleges All Assam Tribal Sangha

GUWAHATI: The All Assam Tribal Sangha (AATS) has alleged that the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP)-led government has not taken any initiative to address the issues of the tribal community during its tenure.

Addressing the mediapersons, AATS secretary general Aditya Khakhlari said the government has taken the issues of the tribal people on a lighter note.

"The government has not filled the backlog posts in various departments and the Forest Rights Act 2006 has not been implemented yet. The lands in tribal belt and blocks are not secured as they are being encroached," Khakhlari underlined.

The AATS expressed disappointment that the recommendations of the report of the Hari Shankar Brahma committee were not taken into consideration for implementation. "The government is trying to destroy our rights by newly granting ST status to six communities," Khakhlari asserted.

Khakhlari pointed out that there are12,155 backlog posts in various departments.

Out of the total posts, 5,107 are reserved for ST (Plain) and 7, 048 for ST (Hill), he said.

According to Khakhlari, there are 164 posts in Water Resource Department, 295 in PWD, 3596 in Education Department, 90 in Transport Department, 145 in Health Department, and 270 in Home Department. These posts are for people belonging from ST (Plain) community. Similarly, for ST (Hills), 102 posts in Water Resource Department, 55 in PWD, 5516 in Education Department, 57 in Transport Department, 70 in Health Department, 835 in Home Department, 92 in Agriculture Department, and 30 in Finance Department.

"The government has not taken any initiative to fill these posts. We demand immediate filling up of these posts," he said.

Further, Khakhlari said that according to the report of the Hari Shankar Brahma committee, there should be survey of all categories of land in the State.

"Land Patta should be given to ST people who are residing in a plot of land since a long period of time. Additionally, all the autonomous councils of the ST communities should be brought under Sixth Schedule of the Constitution," said Khakhlari.

The body opined that outside of BTC (Bodoland Territorial Council), the people from the Bodo and the Kachari communities should be granted an autonomous council as per the BTR agreement.

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