After decades of marginalisation, the Adivasi and tea tribes of Assam have demonstrated renewed collective strength through massive rallies in Dibrugarh and Tinsukia in October 2025. These mobilisations, which evoked memories of the tragic Beltola mayhem in 2007, signal the community’s resolve to press for long-standing constitutional and welfare demands ahead of the 2026 Assam Assembly Elections. With an estimate of around 20% of the state’s population—the Adivasi community is poised to play a decisive role in the electoral outcome, making their demands a crucial political issue.
Scheduled Tribe (ST) Status: This is the community’s most significant and long-standing demand. Despite migrating to Assam over a century and a half ago to work as indentured labourers in tea gardens, they have been denied constitutional recognition as an ST, unlike in their states of origin. The All Adivasi Students’ Association of Assam (AASAA) argues that the government has demonstrated a lack of political will to grant this status, a demand promised by the BJP in its 2014 campaign. Granting ST status would provide safeguards and benefits essential for their socio-economic upliftment. Impact on electoral dynamics: With millions of votes at stake, the Adivasi community’s united front can determine electoral outcomes in numerous constituencies. By focusing on shared concerns and exercising their voting power strategically, they can hold parties accountable and make their demands a central issue in the election discourse.
The rallies also bring to the fore a crucial need for the community to maintain vigilance over their leadership. History shows instances where internal and external political forces have exploited the community’s aspirations for personal gain. By actively rejecting and boycotting leaders with questionable integrity, the Adivasis aim to protect their collective voice and rights.
