Guwahati: A massive rally was organised on Sunday by a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh-affiliated organisation, representing ethnic communities, which has demanded the state government to remove from the Scheduled Tribe (ST) list those who have undergone a religious conversion.

The rally was held in Guwahati’s Khanapara Veterinary field as part of Chalo Dispur Bishal Janajati Gana Samavesh.

According to sources, thousands of tribal people participated from 30 districts of Assam wearing traditional dresses and carrying folk musical instruments.

The main motive for the rally was to de-list tribals, who have undergone a religious conversion, as Scheduled Tribes (ST), which entitles them to a reservation in jobs and other government benefits.

An amendment of Article 342 for ST and equalize with Article 341 for Scheduled Caste (if any SC person is converted to any other religion, automatically the person gets DE-listed from SC reservation).

Separate memorandums will be sent to the President and the Prime Minister of India via the Governor of Assam at the earliest, said sources.

“We demand that the names of STs who have deserted their culture and converted to other religions be removed from the ST registry”, the working president of the JDSSM,  Binud Kumbang said.

If the tribal people who have converted are removed from the ST list, it will be possible to check the rate of conversion, Kumbang added.

He further added that the converted people totally abandon their original tribal culture, customs, rituals, way of life, and traditions.

” This is not against any religion and we demand the protection of our culture. The conversion is happening against poor people due to bribes”, he said.