A key meeting was held on December 11 at Subang Tea Garden in Cachar district, where the Barak Valley Adivasi Union gathered to discuss the long-standing problems faced by tea garden workers.
During the meeting, the union’s leaders once again pushed for stronger political representation and reiterated their demand that Adivasi candidates be given tickets in all seven Assembly constituencies of the Barak Valley.
The discussion, organised at the garden’s dance hall by the Cachar district committee, saw a large turnout of workers. They raised several pressing socio-economic concerns such as education, healthcare, drinking water shortages, and the overall lack of development in the tea estates.
Union members alleged that tea garden workers have faced exploitation for years and that their educational backwardness is often used as an excuse to deny them various government benefits.
Speakers at the meeting also highlighted the rich cultural heritage of the Adivasi community and urged the government to take steps to protect and promote it.
A memorandum submitted to the government on November 20 was also discussed. It includes key demands such as land rights for workers, equal wages for Barak Valley labourers on par with those in the Brahmaputra Valley, and granting Scheduled Tribe status to the Adivasi community.
The union welcomed Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma’s initiative to provide land pattas to garden workers but pointed out that many crucial demands are still pending. The officials said they would soon follow up with the government to push for the unresolved issues.
They also repeated their call for Adivasi candidates in every Assembly seat of the Barak Valley for the upcoming elections and urged the government to ensure fair representation and justice for the community