Bodo Tribal Students Storm BTC Secretariat Protesting Scheduled Tribe Status for Six Assam Communities

Thousands of students from a tribal community in Assam's Kokrajhar region forcibly entered the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) secretariat during a massive rally protesting the Assam cabinet's approval of a report on granting Scheduled Tribes status to six additional communities in the state. The demonstrators reportedly damaged parts of the secretariat building.

The six-kilometer protest march began at Bodoland University and proceeded toward the BTC Secretariat in Kokrajhar. Tensions escalated when protesters broke through security barriers and entered the secretariat's assembly hall, where they allegedly damaged furniture including chairs.

Protesters claimed the government was undermining the rights of the Bodo community and weakening their political, educational, and economic protections.

The Bodos, who represent the largest tribal group in Assam, are opposing the state government's endorsement of a Group of Ministers (GoM) report recommending Scheduled Tribe status for six major communities: Tai Ahom, Chutia, Moran, Motok, Koch-Rajbongshi, and Tea Tribes (Adivasis).

Current tribal groups, including the Bodos, fear this decision will diminish their reservation benefits and political representation.

According to police sources, substantial security forces have been deployed in Kokrajhar following the incident.

The demonstrations are anticipated to grow as influential student organizations, particularly the All Bodo Students Union (ABSU), are expected to join the movement.

Prior to this incident, Bodoland University students had conducted a campus protest against the cabinet's decision and boycotted their third-semester final examinations on Thursday.

The All Bodo Students Union (ABSU), together with several allied tribal organizations, held a torchlight procession in Kokrajhar town on Thursday to protest the cabinet's decision.