Tyres burn, shops shut: 12-hr bandh over ST status paralyses Dibrugarh, Tinsukia

Dibrugarh.Tinsukia, Nov 11: Streets in Dibrugarh and Tinsukia wore a deserted look on Monday as a 12-hour bandh, called by the Moran and Motok Students’ Union, came into effect at 5 am. Businesses kept their shutters down, and public transport was off the roads, bringing daily life in both districts to a grinding halt.

Hundreds of protesters from various organisations affiliated to the six indigenous communities took to the streets early in the morning, demanding Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. Demonstrators voiced frustration over what they described as the Central and state governments' “indifferent attitude” toward the demand.

In Dibrugarh, protesters burned tyres in various areas, halting traffic and intensifying the show of discontent. Tensions ran high in areas such as Lahowal and Mohanbari, where some protesters reportedly engaged in heated exchanges with security forces.

"Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Jual Oram’s recent comments have proven that both the Centre and the Chief Minister are dragging their feet on our demands. They have kept us in the dark for far too long, and we want our demand for ST status granted for the six indigenous communities immediately," said one of the protesters.

Similar scenes were witnessed in Tinsukia, with protesters burning tyres and raising slogans against Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Union Minister Oram. Areas such as the Tinsukia bypass, Panitola, Doomdooma, Kakopathar, and Digboi were particularly affected. According to reports, security forces even resorted to air firing in some areas to disperse the crowd.

"We’ve witnessed the government repeatedly postponing a resolution to our demand," Swarup Gohain, General Secretary of All Assam Motok Youth Students’ Federation told The Assam Tribune in Tinsukia. "We’re compelled to take to the streets, and we warn the government that if they don't grant us our rightful ST status, we will respond with our ballots in the 2026 Assembly elections," he added.

Meanwhile, protest also erupted in Jorhat where All Assam Chutia Student’s Union and various other organisations affiliated to the six indigenous communities demonstrated in solidarity with the bandh, at Rajabari Field.

The bandh was called following a rally organised by the Moran and Motok Students’ Union in Tinsukia on Saturday. The protest has its roots in a recent remark by Union Minister Oram, who stated that the Centre had yet to take formal steps to grant ST status to the Adivasi/Tea tribes, Tai Ahom, Moran, Motok, Chutiya, and Koch-Rajbongshi communities.