Assam: Adivasi student body threatens to boycott BJP in polls, demand ST status for community

Members of the All Adivasi Student Association of Assam (AASAA) today put up posters in Assam's Margherita sub-division where they threatened to boycott the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. They said the BJP has failed to ensure Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to the Adivasi community of the state. 

The AASA's Margherita regional committee put up posters around the walls of the Margherita Tea Estate where they stated that they will not boycott the elections, but they will boycott the BJP. 

The AASA leaders have stated that Bharatiya Janata Party before the Assembly and Lok Sabha Elections had promised ST status for the Adivasis. However, it was stated that after a decade of BJP rule in the Centre, the ST status still eludes them. 

"Back in 2014, when BJP formed the government, they had promised that they would fulfill the objectives in the manifesto regarding fulfilling the issues and rights of the Adivasis. However we have not seen any results till date. Wer have lost all faith in the BJP government. Through these posters, we want to warn the BJP that since we have been given a step-motherly treatment, we will not boycott voting, but we will boycott BJP. We are beginning a campaign to put up such posters across towns and villages," said Sanjay Barla, president in-charge of the AASA Margherita Regional committee. 

Noteworthy is that the Adivasis or the tea tribe community is considered a crucial voter base in Assam and the BJP has been reportedly reaping benefits as it has managed to secure a vote bank among the community.