Tai Ahoms protest delay in ST status, threaten BJP boycott in 2026 polls
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Dibrugarh: Hundreds of members of the Tai Ahom Yuba Parishad, Assam (TAYPA) took to the streets in Dibrugarh on Monday, demanding the immediate grant of Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to the Tai Ahom community.
The protestors, carrying placards and banners, marched to the district commissioner's office, raising slogans against the Central govt for the prolonged delay in fulfilling their long-standing demand.
TAYPA president Diganta Tamuli, leading the demonstration, expressed deep frustration over the govt dilly-dallying over the ST issue and issued a stark warning to the ruling BJP ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.
"For over a decade, we have been waiting for the BJP to honour its promise. The Tai Ahom community will not tolerate this betrayal any longer. If our demand is not met soon, the Tai Ahoms will boycott the BJP en masse in the 2026 Assembly elections," Tamuli said.
Tamuli's warning carries substantial political weight, given the Tai Ahom community's numerical strength and historical influence in Assam's electoral landscape.
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The community's support has been crucial for the BJP's electoral success in the state.
"The Tai Ahoms are a significant voting bloc in the state, and their support can make a difference in the upcoming elections. If the BJP government continues to ignore us, they will face the consequences in 2026," the TAYPA president added.
The roots of the current agitation trace back to 2014, when the BJP promised ST status to six ethnic communities during the Lok Sabha election campaign.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself had assured the communities of ST recognition during his campaign rallies in Assam. However, more than a decade later, the promise remains unfulfilled, leading to mounting frustration among the affected communities. The ST demand encompasses six ethnic groups currently classified as Other Backward Classes (OBC): the Tai Ahoms, Mottocks, Koch Rajbongshis, Sooteas, Morans, and Tea Tribes.
These communities argue that ST status would provide them with better access to educational opportunities, government employment, and political representation through enhanced reservation benefits.
Monday's demonstration concluded with TAYPA leaders submitting a detailed memorandum to Dibrugarh District Commissioner Bikram Kairi, addressed to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. The memorandum urged immediate action on their long-standing demand.
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