A strong protest rally was held in Ghunasuti of Lakhimpur district on the evening of November 22 against the proposal to grant Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to six communities in Assam. The demonstration was organised by the TMPK, MMK and TMMK Ujani Bhimpara Regional Committee, with active support from local residents.
The rally began at the playground of Ghunashuti Higher Secondary School and moved through several nearby villages. People from many areas joined the march and expressed their opposition to the government’s plan. The protesters said the decision could affect the rights and identity of the existing tribal communities living in the region. They urged the government to withdraw the proposal and protect the interests of the recognised indigenous groups.
Earlier on the same day, a similar protest was held in Jonai. The Takam Mising Porin Kebang (TMPK), along with the Mising Mimag Kaubang (MMK) and the Takum Mishing Women’s Front (TMMK), organised a coordinated demonstration through six regional committees under the Jonai district unit of TMPK. The protests were carried out in different parts of Jonai. 
The organisations stated that granting ST status to the six communities would create pressure on the rights, land, and identity of the current ST groups. They argued that such a move would dilute the constitutional safeguards meant for indigenous communities.
Leaders of the groups said they would launch a strong democratic movement if the government moves ahead with the proposal. They also issued a deadline, saying that the government must respond positively by November 25.
“We demand our rightful recognition, and we want the government to fulfil it without delay. If there is no positive response by the 25th, the government must be ready to face a more intense and widespread movement,” said one of the protest leaders. He further added, “We want to remind the authorities that no community should be denied its rights while others enjoy theirs. Equality cannot be selective.”
