Assam Polls: What’s Brewing Amongst the Tea Tribes of the State

The BJP has promised to grant the tea tribes ST status. The tea tribes are hoping that its not an election gimmick.

The tea tribes of Assam are one of the most backward communities in the state. (Photo: The Quint)

The tea tribes of Assam are one of the most backward communities in the state. They are from the Adivasi community who work in the tea gardens. Most of them were brought to Assam from Jharkhand by the British Tea Planters in the late nineteenth century. The tea tribes consist of multiple tribal groups such as Santhals, Gonds, and Mundas.

The tea tribes were traditionally Congress supporters but in the 2014 general elections, it shocked the Congress, by choosing two BJP MPs from the tea belt. One of the main reasons for this switch was the long-standing demand of Scheduled Tribe Status for the tea tribes. The BJP has promised to grant the tea tribes ST status. The tea tribes are hoping that it’s not just an election gimmick.