Opposition Walks Out as Assam Clears Revised ST Proposal but Centre May Delay Bill

Overview

• Opposition Congress and Raijor Dal MLAs staged a walkout from the Assam Assembly on Tuesday, July 14, to protest the lack of a clear timetable for granting Scheduled Tribe status to six communities.
• The state’s Tribal Affairs minister told the House that a ministerial committee and a Group of Ministers have completed reports, the chief minister has approved amendments, and the revised proposal will be sent to the Centre.
• The GoM recommended a three-tier reservation model and a new ‘ST (Valley)’ category that would include Tai-Ahom, Chutia, Tea Tribes and Koch-Rajbongshi with some geographic exclusions.
• Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram has indicated the Bill is unlikely to be introduced in the upcoming Lok Sabha session, a position that Opposition leaders say shows a lack of political will.
• If Parliament approves a constitutional amendment, the six groups would gain access to reserved education and government jobs and potential protections for land and cultural rights, so the key next steps to watch are whether New Delhi formally tables the Bill and how stakeholders respond.