15th October, 2008 : Assam Bandh over ST status

Irked at not being accorded Scheduled Tribe status, the Moran Students Union (MSU) and other organisations representing the community have called a 12-hour bandh in the state. Six communities, including the Morans, are demanding ST status, a cause for which there had been widespread agitation in the run-up to the panchayat polls held last December and January this year. The five other communities are the Muttocks, Chutias, Tea Tribes, Tai Ahoms and Koch Rajbonshis.