GUWAHATI: Hundreds of tea garden workers, organised under the banner of Assam Chah Janagosthi Jatiya Mahasabha (ACJJM), took to the streets of Dibrugarh on Wednesday to protest the alleged deprivation of caste certificates to certain sub-groups within the state's tea community.
The protesters, brandishing banners and placards, marched to the District Commissioner's Office, where they staged a demonstration lasting over an hour, expressing their discontent with the government's stance.
The ACJJM has accused the state government of withholding caste certificates from 30 sub-groups out of the total 108 sub-groups that constitute the tea community in Assam.
According to the organisation, this denial has given rise to numerous challenges for the affected sub-groups, ranging from difficulties in securing land rights to obstacles in education and healthcare access.
Khagen Rajowar, the district president of ACJJM's Dibrugarh unit, asserted, "The BJP government is attempting to divide the tea community. Among our 108 sub-groups in Assam, 30 have been deprived of caste certificates since the beginning. Consequently, they face issues with land rights, education, and access to healthcare schemes. Our students encounter hurdles during school and college admissions. We demand that the BJP government resolves this issue before the upcoming Lok Sabha elections; otherwise, our whole community will boycott the BJP."
Mantush Kurmi, the district general secretary of ACJJM's unit, echoed similar sentiments, expressing confusion about the government's decision to withhold caste certificates for these 30 sub-groups of the tea community.
The denial of caste certificates has become a focal point of contention for the tea workers. Land rights, education opportunities, and healthcare services have all been adversely affected.