Guwahati, July 22: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday accused the BJP-led Assam government of pushing the state’s tea tribe and Adivasi communities to the margins through evictions, neglect, and broken promises.
Addressing a press conference at the party’s state headquarters in Guwahati, the AAP’s affiliate body, Tea Tribe and Adivasi Shakti, alleged that the ruling party has failed to safeguard the rights and livelihoods of these communities.
Mahabir Baske, state president of AAP Tea Tribe and Adivasi Shakti, said that evictions targeting tea tribe and Adivasi families are ongoing across various districts. He called for immediate rehabilitation measures for those displaced.
Baske also raised concern over the state of Assam’s tea industry, stating that several tea gardens have already shut down and many others are nearing closure. He alleged that a corporate syndicate, operating with government backing, is moving to purchase tea estates and convert them into non-agricultural commercial ventures. According to him, this will effectively erase Assam’s tea heritage and leave thousands of workers jobless.
He said even functioning tea gardens are failing to provide basic entitlements, including timely wages, rations, and medical care. “Primary healthcare services for workers are being ignored, and there is no accountability from management,” he said.
The AAP leader accused the BJP of backtracking on its promise to issue land pattas to tea tribe families. “This government came to power with the support of our community, but it has betrayed that trust,” he said.
Baske dismissed the government’s ‘Ek Kali Do Pata’ scheme, which offers a one-time assistance of ₹5,000 to tea workers, as a symbolic gesture with little real impact. “It is a political move aimed at vote-bank retention, not a solution to long-standing issues,” he said.
He also reiterated AAP’s support for the longstanding demand of granting Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to six communities, including those from the tea tribe and Adivasi groups. He outlined AAP’s commitments if elected to power in Assam, including issuing land pattas to all eligible families, ensuring a daily wage of ₹551 for tea workers, and expanding access to education for tea tribe children.
The press conference was attended by Anurupa Dekaraja, AAP Assam’s state vice president; Jayanta Saikia, state secretary (Organisation); and Lakhindra Murmu, general secretary of AAP Tea Tribe and Adivasi Shakti.
