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ST status for six communities: Group of ministers suggests three-fold classification

GUWAHATI: An interim report of a Group of Ministers (GoM) in Assam recommended a three-tier classification of Scheduled Tribes ST (Plains), ST (Hills) and ST (Valley). While the ST (Plains) and the ST (Hills) continue to cover the existing tribal communities residing in the plains and hills, the ST (Valley) will cover six communities such as Ahoms, Chutias, Morans, Mataks, Koch-Rajbongshis and Tea Tribes (Adivasis). The recommendation was made in light of the ST status demand by the six communities. Tribal Affairs (Plains) Minister Ranoj Pegu, who headed the three-member GoM, laid the report in the Assembly. The report said the three-fold structure would allow reservations in Parliament, Legislative Assembly, and local bodies to be reorganised without reducing the current entitlements of ST (Plains) and ST (Hills) communities. However, to achieve this, Parliament must enact special legislation to give the three-fold reservation statutory endorsement. The Government of Assam will request the Government of India to provide statutory recognition of the three-tier classification of the Scheduled Tribes of Assam, the report said. Protesters opposing ST status for six communities vandalise Assam's Bodoland council secretariat This arrangement will be in tune with the resolution of the Assam Assembly that the six communities be recognised as STs without affecting the rights and privileges of the present tribal communities. ST (Valley) will be the Scheduled Tribe for all purposes except that it will not affect the rights and privileges enjoyed by the present tribal communities. The GoM further recommends that Lok Sabha constituencies covering the Sixth Schedule areas be permanently reserved for the existing STs through a Constitutional amendment, so that these seats remain reserved regardless of future delimitation exercises... For ST (Valley), additional seats will be reserved in Parliament as the number of reservations will automatically increase in view of the fact that a large number of people will now be recognised as Scheduled Tribes in the state of Assam, the report said. According to the GoM recommendations, the ST (Valley) category will have separate reservation quotas, with distinct rosters and vacancy registers for all state government recruitments and educational institutions. Existing ST (Plains) and ST (Hills) quotas will remain fully protected, the report said.