Demand for ST Status for Assam's Tribals Intensifies; Justice Transcends Politics: Hemant Soren
Ranchi, April 05, 2026: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren has termed the denial of Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to the tribal community—which has been residing in Assam's tea gardens for generations—as an injustice of national magnitude. In a statement shared on the social media platform 'X' on Sunday, he asserted that this is not merely an administrative oversight, but a grave and long-standing injustice that must now be brought to an end.
The Chief Minister noted that these tribals—originally brought in during the British era—have strengthened Assam's economy through their sheer hard work and toil; yet, to this day, they remain deprived of constitutional recognition. Since independence, numerous governments have come and gone, but this critical issue has never been accorded the priority it deserves.
He raised the pertinent question: why, ultimately, has an entire community been kept deprived of its fundamental rights? Soren unequivocally stated that this issue transcends the realm of politics and must be viewed through the lens of justice, dignity, and identity.
