Assam tribals demanding reservation threaten economic blockade

Tribals in Assam seeking reservation in government jobs have threatened economic blockade if their demands were not met.

Srirampur (Assam), Dec 23 : Tribals in Assam seeking reservation in government jobs have threatened economic blockade if their demands were not met.

Protesters claimed that some states have granted the Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to their community.

"This movement has just started at the all India level. It has spread to Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa and reached Andaman and Nicobar. The tribals like Khariya and Munda have not been granted reservation in Assam," said All Adivasi (tribesmen) Students' Association of Assam (AASAA) principal advisor Sanjay Marandi.

Marandi said that the AASAA would resort to economic blockade if the Central Government did not recognise its demands.

"From January 27 we will start the indefinite economic blockade if the Central Government does not agree to our demands," Marandi said.

Demanding special privileges, thousands of tribals gathered under the aegis of AASAA blocked railway tracks at Srirampur in Assam on Saturday.

Train services on the Srirampur route on the Bengal-Assam border, Goasigaon and Kokrajhar stations were disrupted due to the rail blockade.

ANI