Guwahati: The Soy Janagosthi Joutha Mancha (Joint Platform of Six Ethnic Tribes) has called for a 12-hour Assam Bandh on Tuesday (November 15) to press for their demand of a Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
The Soy Janagosthi Joutha Mancha is an umbrella organization of six ethnic communities—Adivasi, Chutia, Koch-Rajbongshi, Matak, Moran and Tai-Ahom.
Coming down heavily on the BJP-led governments in Assam and at the Centre for “playing with the sentiments of the six communities”, the forum has called for the bandh.
It has also decided to organize a ‘dharna’ in Delhi on November 30.
Meanwhile, the Assam Adivasi Sanmilan (AAS) has urged the Soy Janagosthi Joutho Mancha to withdraw the Assam bandh called in view of the fact that Adivasi hero Birsa Munda’s birth anniversary falls on that day.
AAS general secretary David Horo has said that Birsa Munda had revolted against the British way back in the 18th century and the hero’s birth anniversary has been accorded the status of ‘Gaurav Divas’. The occasion is also observed in Assam, he said.
Horo said the AAS fully supports the demand raised by the Soy Janagosthi Joutho Mancha.
“However, the Assam bandh call for November 15 should be withdrawn in view of Gaurav Divas,” he said.