Assam - The Purbottar

02 Dec

St. Status Demand: On December 4, a group of ministers from Assam will meet with protesting tribal groups

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

The Group of Ministers (GoM), led by Tribal Affairs (Plains) minister Ranoj Pegu, will hold talks with the Coordination Committee of Tribal Organisations of Assam (CCTOA) on December 4 to address the latter’s concerns over the report on the proposal to grant Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to six OBC (Other Backward Classes) communities in the state. The communities seeking ST status comprise Tai-Ahom, Chutia, Moran, Matak, Koch-Rajbongshi and Tea Tribe (Adivasi). The development comes in the wake of protests led by the CCTOA, an umbrella body of 26 tribal groups, since Saturday, rejecting the proposal by the GoM and warning…

02 Dec

Himanta vows to build an inclusive ‘Greater Assam’ on Asom Divas

Mohini BarmanAssam

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday pledged to build ‘Bor Asom’ or Greater Assam—an inclusive vision embracing all communities of the state—as part of the Asom Divas celebrations. Sarma made the remarks while paying tribute to Chaolung Sukapha, the founder of the Ahom kingdom, who arrived in Assam in 1228 AD and laid the foundation of Ahom rule and its enduring legacy. “As we observe #AsomDivas, we pledge to continue building the Bor Asom as he envisaged — proud, strong, and united,” he said in a post on X. The Chief Minister also thanked Union Home Minister Amit…

02 Dec

Amit Shah extends wishes to the people of Assam on Asom Divas

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah has extended wishes to the people of Assam on Asom Divas. In a post on ‘X’ platform, Shah said, “Warm wishes to our sisters and brothers of Assam on Asom Divas. This occasion commemorates the glory of the Ahom era and fortifies our commitment to protecting the rich culture of Assam, in which every Indian takes great pride.” December 2 is celebrated in Assam as Asom Divas, in the honour of the first Ahom king, Chaolung Sukhapha. Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that “In the last 9 years…

02 Dec

Roi Roi Binale’ Roars Past ₹33 Crore, Sets New Benchmark in Assamese Cinema

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

Roi Roi Binale, the final film featuring the legendary Assamese singer-actor Zubeen Garg, has achieved remarkable success at the box office, amassing ₹33,30,82,825 in just four weeks and three days since its release. This film is now recognized as one of the biggest commercial triumphs in the history of Assamese cinema. Despite moving into its fifth week of screenings, the emotional drama continues to attract large audiences, with daily showings in 70 theaters across Assam, totaling 282 performances each day. Fans of Zubeen Garg are flocking to view the movie, perceiving it as a heartfelt tribute to the beloved icon.…

02 Dec

As tensions over ST status demand rise, the BTC Winter Session gets underway

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

The two-day winter session of the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) began on December 1 under an unusually heavy security presence, as protests across the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) intensified over the Assam government’s move to grant Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to six additional communities. The session opened with BTC Speaker Tridip Daimary presiding over the proceedings. The day started with the Question Hour, where members raised queries related to key development schemes and ongoing projects under the BTC. Representatives from the BPF, BJP, and UPPL attended the first day’s sitting, and a detailed round of debates and discussions is anticipated…

01 Dec

The 15,000-seat Umrangso Cricket Stadium in Assam is scheduled to open on December 5

Banasree SarkarAssam

Assam is preparing to add a major new landmark to its sports infrastructure as Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma will inaugurate the Assam Cricket Association’s (ACA) newly constructed cricket stadium in Umrangso on December 5. The hill town of Dima Hasao, known for its scenic beauty and calm surroundings, will now host one of the most modern cricketing facilities in the Northeast. The stadium has been built on 30 bighas of land allotted by North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council Chief Executive Member Debolal Garlosa. The ACA, which had first conceptualised the project four years ago, initially explored Haflong for the…

01 Dec

Interim Report On St Status: Assam Govt To Invite Protesting Tribal Groups For Talks

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

The Assam Government has decided to hold discussions with protesting groups regarding the Group of Ministers’ (GoM) interim report that addresses granting Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to six major communities: Tai-Ahom, Chutia, Moran, Matak, Koch-Rajbongshi, and Tea Tribes (Adivasis). Protests, primarily led by the Coordination Committee of Tribal Organisations of Assam (CCTOA), arose following the GoM's presentation of the report during the recent winter assembly session. The CCTOA expressed concerns that the inclusion of these communities could adversely affect the rights and representation of existing ST groups. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma indicated the government's readiness to listen to various…

29 Nov

A Sustainable Way to Improve Human-Elephant Coexistence in Udalguri, Assam: Mustard Cultivation

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

To mitigate human-elephant conflict (HEC) and support communities affected by crop damage, Aaranyak, with LIC HFL's CSR initiative, has promoted mustard cultivation as an alternative to traditional crops like paddy. Mustard is less palatable to elephants, thereby reducing raiding incidents. In October-November 2025, 150 kg of mustard seeds were distributed to 45 farmers across several villages in Assam's Udalguri District, which frequently suffers from elephant-related agricultural losses. This initiative, based on a needs assessment, aims to bolster livelihoods and foster coexistence between humans and elephants by providing a safer crop option that enhances food security and income stability for local…

28 Nov

Assam Assembly to Introduce Detention Room for Disruptive MLAs

Sonakshi SarkarAssam, Guwahati

In a significant move aimed at strengthening parliamentary discipline, the Assam Legislative Assembly has decided to set up a dedicated detention room within the Assembly complex to hold suspended MLAs who disrupt proceedings. Speaker Biswajit Daimary confirmed that the Assembly Secretariat will soon draft the detailed rules and operational procedures for the facility. The decision comes in the wake of repeated disruptions by suspended MLA Akhil Gogoi, including fresh uproar during Question Hour today. Gogoi has frequently clashed with the Treasury Bench, prompting multiple suspensions in recent sessions. Following the latest incident, Minister Bimal Borah backed the idea of creating…

27 Nov

Gaurav Gogoi demands machine-readable electoral rolls and accuses the chief minister of Assam of trying to add outsiders to the voter list.

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

The Assam Assembly was informed by the education minister that close to 1,400 government-run primary and middle schools in the state’s char and rural areas continue to operate without basic drinking water and toilet facilities, exposing glaring infrastructure gaps in the education sector. Additionally, nearly 28,000 teaching positions remain vacant across these regions. Responding to a question raised by Congress MLA Wajed Ali Choudhury during Question Hour, Education Minister Ranoj Pegu said 1,391 Lower Primary (LP) and Middle English (ME) schools currently lack functional drinking water or toilet infrastructure. Of these, 347 schools have no drinking … Gaurav Gogoi Accuses…