Assam is all set to become a tribal-dominated state. The Centre is going ahead to fast-track proceedings to grant scheduled tribe status to six communities including the Koch Rajbongshis who have been demanding the status for two decades. During his election campaign in Assam, Narendra Modi had promised the status to the six communities. He had said that the UPA government could not provide the status to them which he regarded as the Congress party’s lack of commitment to the people of the area. They are a major vote bank in the region which had also seen violent ethnic clashes in recent times. If the status is granted, the tribal population of the state will go up to 40%. Home secretary Anil Goswami has called the region a key priority area. The Assam government is supporting the ST tag for the six communities who will get larger benefits and improved facilities under various government schemes.
As the BJP has achieved unprecedented success in Assam in the Parliamentary elections throwing the Congress into the shade, the promise of ST status appears to be Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s reward to the region. The BJP has always been in favour of small states. The grant of ST status to six communities in Assam may be the thin end of the wedge. It will be a kind of balkanization of Assam which has been a threat for quite some time. With a section of the ULFA and the NDFB asking for more than autonomy, it may either encourage the separatist forces to gain ground or bring peace and harmony to the state which will be conducive to its economic development.