Ranchi
The Jharkhand Cabinet on Monday decided to set up a committee, headed by the Minister for Scheduled Tribe, Scheduled Caste, Minority and Backward Class Welfare Department, to carry out an economic and social survey of tribals of Jharkhand origin in Assam and elsewhere like Andaman and Nicobar to ensure they get their due rights.
“Tribals from Jharkhand were taken to other places such as Assam and Andaman and Nicobar by the British. Their number is about 15 to 20 lakh and they are fighting for their rights. It is known that tribals are working in Assam tea gardens but they have not been given ST status so far and are debarred from the welfare schemes meant for them,” the CM said.
“Our government invites all original inhabitants to return to Jharkhand. We will form a committee to study this problem under the Minister for Scheduled Tribe, Scheduled Caste, Minority and Backward Class Welfare Department. All-party representation will be there. They will go to those places, study their problems related to housing, jobs, rights etc. Based on the committee’s recommendations, the state will introduce welfare measures,” CM Hemant Soren told reporters after the meeting.
The decision is a follow up of Hemant’s letter to his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma claiming that the tea tribes in the latter’s State were marginalised despite their significant contribution to its economy. He expressed deep concern over the plight of the tea tribe community members in Assam and sought Scheduled Tribes status for them.
Hemant’s September 25 letter was seen as his taking the battle to the turf of Himanta, who is BJP election co-incharge for Jharkhand. Today’s decision signals the intensification of the battle ahead of Assembly polls in the State.
It is said that it is Himanta who has crafted the policy of BJP’s all-out attack against the Hemant Soren-led JMM-Congress-RJD alliance. Under him the BJP has gone all guns blazing against Hemant on issues like the changing demography of Jharkhand due to unchecked influx of Bangladeshi infiltrators, resultant sharp reduction in tribal population, especially in Santhal Pargana, corruption and non-fulfilment of promises made by the ruling dispensation.
“I am acutely aware of the significant challenges faced by the tea tribes in Assam, particularly since many are indigenous to Jharkhand, including Santhali, Kuruk, Munda, and Oraon, whose ancestors migrated during colonial times to work in tea plantations. These groups meet the criteria for ST status due to their distinct cultural identity and vulnerability to exploitation. While most ethnic groups of tea tribes are recognised as STs in Jharkhand, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh and Odisha, Assam continues to classify them as OBCs,” Hemant said in his letter.
“Despite their vital contributions to Assam’s economy and culture, they continue to be marginalised and denied the benefits and protections accorded to Scheduled Tribes,” the Jharkhand Chief Minister said.
The tea tribes of Assam, while being classified as OBCs, miss out on several crucial government benefits and opportunities due to their non-ST status, including many central government schemes specifically designed for STs, such as the Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme, the Tribal Development Cooperative Societies (TDCS) scheme, and the National Tribal Health Mission, he said adding as non-STs, these tribals are ineligible for many government programmes and schemes designed to uplift marginalised communities like educational scholarships, housing subsidies, and healthcare facilities, Hemant outlined.
“Living far from their ancestral homeland, these tribals may face challenges in preserving their cultural heritage. This can manifest in various forms, such as denial of land rights, limited access to employment opportunities, and prejudice in interpersonal relationships,” he mentioned in his letter.
Demanding ST status for them, Hemant said, “Their long-standing contributions to the region’s economy and culture, their socio-economic deprivation, and their unique cultural heritage warrant this recognition. By doing so, we can address historical injustices, promote social justice, and ensure that the tea tribes enjoy the same rights and opportunities as other marginalised communities in Assam.”
