The Matak community of Assam is preparing for a massive show of strength, with nearly 50,000 members from over 30 villages set to march from Dikom to Lahowal in Tinsukia district on September 22, pressing for long-pending recognition under the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category.
This demonstration comes close on the heels of a similar large-scale protest staged by the Moran community, which has also been demanding ST status. Leaders of various Matak organisations said the community has been deprived of its constitutional rights for decades despite repeated assurances from governments.
“For the last 15 years, successive governments have deceived us by denying our rights. The BJP had promised to grant ST recognition within six months of coming to power, but those assurances proved hollow once elections were over,” said community members, accusing the state of betrayal.
The Matak leaders also alleged that it was not just their community but six other groups of Assam that had been systematically sidelined despite their legitimate demand for inclusion in the ST list.
In the run-up to the rally, the All Assam Matak Youth Students’ Association has launched an extensive awareness campaign across villages between Dikom and Lahowal. Volunteers have been urging people to join the protest while community leaders visited Namghars to seek blessings for the success of the movement.
With tens of thousands expected to participate, the September 22 rally is being viewed as one of the biggest mobilisations by the Matak community in recent years, signaling their determination to intensify the struggle until their ST demand is met.
