ST bill issue: Bandh supporters in Kokrajhar burn tyres
ST bill issue: Bandh supporters in Kokrajhar burn tyres Photo: Northeast Now

The 12 hours state-wide bandh called by the  (CCTOA) Coordination Committee of the Tribal Organizations of Assam, brought Bodoland Territorial Council(BTC) headquarter Kokrajhar to a standstill.

The CCTOA is a joint platform of various indigenous communities, who called the bandh in protest against government move to grant Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to six advanced communities of Assam.

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In a statement issued to the media, the Coordination Committee of the Tribal Organizations, Assam alleged that the move to accord ST status to six ethnic groups – Ahoms, Marans, Muttocks, Chutiyas, Koch-Rajbongshis and Tea Communities, is nothing but ‘a plot’ of the Central and State Governments to ‘eliminate the genuine tribal people’ of the State.

The bandh which started 5 am on Friday, saw total response with business establishment like markets, banks remaining closed. Vehicles remained off the roads.

The bandh supporters burned tyres in many places.

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Essential activities like medical, exams were exempted from the purview of bandh.