Hundreds of tribal students stormed the BTC assembly in Kokrajhar, vandalising the hall while protesting the proposal to grant ST status to six communities.
Protesters fear the move will dilute constitutional safeguards and reservation benefits for Assam’s existing tribal groups.
The incident follows a week of boycotts and rallies, signalling growing unrest as authorities have yet to address the assembly breach.
Protests in Assam escalated on Saturday as hundreds of tribal students marched to the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) assembly in Kokrajhar and forcefully entered the complex to oppose the government’s proposal to grant Scheduled Tribe status to six additional communities.
The students, many from Bodoland University and nearby districts, began their march in the afternoon, covering several kilometres before reaching the BTC secretariat. Upon arrival, demonstrators broke through security barricades, entered the assembly chamber, overturned chairs, tore curtains and damaged furniture. Security personnel were initially overwhelmed as the crowd surged inside, though order was restored later in the evening.
The agitation stems from the Assam government’s acceptance of a committee recommendation to include six communities — Tai Ahom, Chutia, Moran, Matak, Koch-Rajbongshi and the Tea-Tribe/Adivasi group — in the Scheduled Tribe category. Protesters argue that adding these large and relatively advanced communities would drastically dilute the rights, job reservations and social protections currently guaranteed to the existing tribal population, estimated at around 45 lakh. In contrast, the combined population of the communities proposed for inclusion exceeds one crore.
Tribal groups say this imbalance would severely impact their access to education, employment and political representation. They have demanded that the BTC withdraw its earlier no-objection to the proposal, asserting that the council must stand with indigenous tribes.
The storming of the assembly follows a week of intensifying unrest, including campus boycotts at Bodoland University, torch-light rallies and street protests across the region. With tensions running high and no formal response yet from the administration on the breach, tribal organisations have warned of further agitation if the government proceeds with the ST-status plan.
