12 left out communities in Sikkim will get ST status in due course: Golay

PTI, GANGTOK, APRIL 5, 2025 : Chief Minister of Sikkim Prem Singh Tamang on Thursday expressed optimism that the 12 left-out communities of the Himalayan state will be granted the Scheduled Tribes status by the Centre in due course. The Chief Minister said this while addressing the fourth and final meeting of the Sikkim High-Level Committee (SSHLC) on the issue.

"The 12 left-out communities will be granted ST status by the Central government in due course as these communities share cultural and ethnic identities of the indigenous people of Sikkim," he said. The left-out communities are Bhujel, Gurung, Jogi, Kirat Khambu Rai, Kirat Dewan (Yakha), Khas (Chettri-Bahun), Mangar, Newar, Sanyashi, Sunuwar (Mukhia), Thami, and Majhi.

Tamang said that the meeting concluded on a hopeful and determined note, with all stakeholders pledging their continued efforts to secure constitutional recognition for the 12 left-out communities. "This journey is not just about legal recognition, it is about ensuring these communities reclaim their rightful place in the socio-political landscape of India," the CM said.

"It marks a significant milestone in our collective pursuit of constitutional recognition for these communities," Tamang said, adding that the SSHLC will prepare a comprehensive ethnographic report for the 12 communities based on rigorous research, extensive field visits, and in-depth consultations, to align with the five criteria set by the Government of India for ST inclusion.

The Chief Minister said he has urged the SSHLC to provide strategic recommendations for engaging with the Centre, whereas the elected representatives will actively study and promote the reports, fostering wider political and public support. Tamang said community organisations will deliberate on the findings, mobilising intellectual and social discourse to strengthen advocacy efforts, while sustained engagement at the national level, including renewed representations to the Prime Minister, Home Minister, and Tribal Affairs Minister, will be held to bring the matter to a logical conclusion.