More than one lakh members of Assam’s tea community took to the streets of Tinsukia on October 8, demanding higher daily wages, land ownership rights and recognition of the Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for the community.
The protest, held in the Kopab area of Tinsukia district, came shortly after Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s visit to the region. The demonstration led to traffic disruptions as large crowds occupied major roads.
The agitation was organised by several groups, including the All Assam Tea Tribes Association (AATSA), All Adivasi Students’ Association of Assam (AASAA) and Assam Chah Mazdoor Sangha (ACMS). Leaders of these organisations said that despite repeated assurances from the government, their long-pending demands remain unfulfilled.
One protester said the government had made several promises during previous elections but failed to act on them. “We have been urging the government again and again. They promised to fulfill our demands, but nothing has changed,” a protester said.
Tea community organisations have for years demanded a revision of daily wages, distribution of land titles (pattas) to families living in tea garden areas, and recognition of ST status. The government has maintained that discussions are ongoing, but protestors allege that the process has been delayed without clear reasons.
Earlier, representatives of the tea tribes and Adivasi communities had warned that they would intensify their movement if the government did not respond to their concerns.
The protest underscores the community’s long-standing grievances related to labor rights, land ownership, and social recognition.
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