Guwahati, Dec 1: A three-member Cabinet Committee comprising Ministers Dr Ranoj Pegu, Keshab Mahanta, and Pijush Hazarika will invite the Coordination Committee of Tribal Organisations of Assam (CCTOA) to clarify issues related to the report on granting Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to six communities in the state.

The decision was taken at the Cabinet meeting held on Sunday at Lok Sewa Bhawan under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

In a post on X, Dr Pegu said, “The Cabinet reviewed the observations submitted by the Coordination Committee of Tribal Organisations of Assam (CCTOA) on the Group of Ministers (GoM) report concerning the six communities. It appears that certain misunderstandings may exist. The Cabinet has directed the GoM to hold a discussion with the CCTOA to clarify these issues. An invitation for the meeting will be extended shortly.”

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Chief Minister Sarma said, “We discussed the report on granting ST status to six communities and the developments around it. We have noticed that some people, especially the CCTOA, have not properly read the report but commented on it in the media.”

The CCTOA has been spearheading protests, expressing apprehension that the inclusion of the six communities could adversely affect the rights and protections enjoyed by existing ST groups.

“The Cabinet believes that this report will help facilitate the process of granting ST status to the six communities and will not harm the interests of existing tribal communities,” Sarma added.

Tensions escalated on Saturday when protesting students stormed the Bodoland Territorial Council secretariat building, reflecting the deepening concerns among existing Scheduled Tribe groups.

The report was tabled late Saturday evening at the end of the Assembly’s winter session, triggering strong protests from Opposition MLAs who demanded a discussion—a request that Speaker Biswajit Daimary declined before adjourning the session immediately after the tabling.

Also Read: AASAA demands action against child marriage, liquor menace in Tinsukia

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