Guwahati, Feb. 23: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said that the Jhumur dance is authentic Assamese culture.

The Chief Minister while addressing the press following a cabinet meeting ahead of Advantage Assam 2.0 said  “Jhumur is not performed anywhere else in the country. No other state of India’s dance form matches with Jhumur. It is authentic Assamese culture,” the Chief Minister said.

With regard to the name of the dance, the Chief Minister said, “The name Jhumoir is appropriate according to experts.”

Earlier, in February during the Budget session of the Parliament, the Centre had said that it has received the recommendation for inclusion of Tai Ahom, Chutia, Matak, Moran, Koch Rajbongshi and Tea Tribes under the Scheduled Tribes (STs) category from the Assam government.

Informing the Parliament in February, Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Durgadas Uikey had said that the Government of India had laid down the modalities for deciding the claims for inclusion in, exclusion from, and other modifications in the orders specifying Scheduled Castes (SC) and ST lists.

However, without giving more clarity on the latest position of granting ST status to these six communities from the State, Uikey said that the State Government has taken several steps for the development of these six communities.

"The Government of Assam has created the Matak Autonomous Council, Moran Autonomous Council and Kamatapur Autonomous Council, Adivasi Welfare and Development Council, and Development Councils for the Ahom and Chutia communities for all-round socioeconomic development of these communities. Sufficient funds have been allocated to these councils in the annual budget for taking up development schemes for their respective communities," Uikey added

Notably, state-wide protests have been carried out by six communities – Tai Ahom, Chutia, Matak, Moran, Koch Rajbongshi, and Tea Tribes – for them to be included in the Scheduled Tribes (ST) category.

Earlier, in October, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) government had given the nod to form a special committee to conduct a comprehensive social and economic survey of the tea community originating from Jharkhand in certain states and Union territories (UTs), including Assam.

This step was taken to intensify the Jharkhand government’s efforts to help secure ST status to tea tribes in these states.

The committee, constituted under the state Minister for Scheduled Tribe, Scheduled Caste, Minority, and Backward Class Welfare Department, sought to examine issues related to housing, employment, and rights faced by these tribals.