Adivasi and ST statusThe recent spate of violence has given a new dimension
to the long-standing demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status of the Adivasis of
the State. Unnerved by the deteriorating situation, the Centre made a hasty
retreat from its earlier stand, stating that the ST status for the Adivasis
was under active consideration. It was an act apparently aimed at smoothening
ruffled feathers, as only a few days back, Union Home Minister Patil had
referred to the Registrar General of Indias (RGI) recommendation against ST
status for the Adivasis. It is precisely this inept handling of a sensitive
issue that is at the root of the growing unrest among the Adivasis over the
years. The dithering of the Centre only goes to show that it had been far from
sincere on the issue, making one wonder whether political interests alone have
guided its role on the issue. The State Governments position, however, has
been consistent in recent times with the Assam
Assembly adopting a unanimous resolution in 2005 supporting the demand for
scheduling of six communities including the tea tribes (Adivasis). The granting
of ST status requires the consent of three bodies the State Government
concerned, the RGI and the National Commission for SC and ST. And the absence
of any timeframe to grant ST status makes it possible to prolong the issues
something that needs to be changed by placing a mechanism that resolves such
matters within a timeframe. The main contention of the RGI against granting of
ST status for Adivasis is that they had have lost their tribal characteristics
by assimilating with the local people and they are also not among the States
aboriginal people. That is why Adivasis are STs in their home States like
Orissa, Bihar, Jharkhand, etc., and not in Assam where they were brought by the
British some 200 years back to engage them as labourers in tea cultivation. On
the other hand, it is a fact that the
Adivasis are socially and educationally backward compared to many other
tribes. Now the time has come for the Centre to take a firm decision on the
matter and settle it convincingly once and for all. No one would object to the
granting of ST status to Adivasis if they fulfil the required criteria.
However, acting in haste and conferring the ST status immediately would set a
bad precedent, as it would encourage other parties raising similar demands to
resort to violence to achieve their objectives. It must be made clear to the
Adivasis that they are under a constitutional obligation to redress their
grievances through peaceful means and not through violent agitations. Assam
Tribune Editorial 02.12.07
---------------------------------
Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage.
_______________________________________________
assam mailing list
[email protected]
http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
