Date:03/12/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/12/03/stories/2007120355491500.htm

National

Deadline for Bill: militant outfits join tribal fronts

Sushanta Talukdar

Guwahati: The Birsa Commando Force (BCF) and the Adivasi Cobra Militants of Assam (ACMA) on Saturday joined the All-Adivasi Students Association of Assam (AASAA), the Disam Party of Jharkhand, the All-India Adivasi Students’ and the Youth Association and Adivasi Mahila Parishad in setting December 7 as deadline to the Centre for tabling a Bill on including adivasis and tea tribes in the list of Scheduled Tribes of Assam.

AASAA chief organising secretary Bosco Chermaco said the meeting decided to issue an appeal to Jharkhand people to launch an economic blockade from December 17 if the Union government failed to respond to their deadline. Coal and uranium mines in Jharkhand would be covered under the blockade. The meeting took strong objection to Union Home Minister’s Shivraj Patil’s statement on the issue of ST status for the adivasis and tea tribes.