GUWAHATI, AUG 9: The All Adivasi Students’ Association of Assam (AASAA) observed the World Indigenous Day at Khanikar Chariali in Dibrugarh on Tuesday.
The day was marked by the participants wearing their traditional dress along with dhol, nagra, bows and arrows to showcase their rich cultural heritage.
During the progamme the AASAA leaders urged the government to confer Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to the state’s Adivasi community, a minimum daily wage of Rs 525 to tea garden workers, land rights to Adivasi people and provide all benefits as per Plantation Labour Act 1951.
The programme was attended by Dibrugarh district AASAA president Ignatius Topno, vice president Nipen Munda, central advisor Sebian Jojwar among others.
Dibrugarh district AASAA presiden Ignatius Topno in his speech said “On World Indigenous Day we need to inculcate in our minds that we have to preserve our rich cultural heritage. The youth who are the future of the community should learn the importance of our tribal culture otherwise we will loose our age old culture,”.
“At the same time I wish to say that we were tribal by birth and blood whether the government accepts it or not. However the government has time and again been neglecting the Adivasi community. They know everything about our community and still they are neglecting us. They are silent over the matter of confering ST status to our community”, he said.
He further added, “We vehemently criticise the BJP-led government in Assam who are least bothered about our community. The Adivasis are now empowered, they are now becoming conscious of their political and social rights. Hence in the coming elections there will be conscious vote from the Adivasis. For this the BJP government should be ready to face challenges from our community for the negligence they have done to us.”