Gogoi bats for ST status to 6 Assam communities

The 6 communities -- Koch Rajbongshis, Moran, Muttock, Sootea, Tai Ahom & the tea tribes -- are currently listed as OBCs.

Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Wednesday requested the Centre to grant Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to six communities in the state which have been on the agitational path for a long time.

"The state government has been all along endorsing the demands of the six communities and has been providing all justifications in support of inclusion of the six communities without affecting the rights and privileges of the tribal communities," Gogoi said in a statement.

The six communities -- Koch Rajbongshis, Moran, Muttock, Sootea, Tai Ahom and the tea tribes -- are currently listed as Other Backward Classes and are demanding to be included in the list of STs as the new status would give them more benefits.

Gogoi requested the central government to concede the demands of the six communities.