GUWAHATI: In a landmark political moment with deep social implications, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and former Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren on Sunday publicly lauded each other after Assam passed a historic bill granting land ownership rights to tea garden workers and approved a proposal to include Jharkhand-origin Adivasis in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category , a move expected to transform the lives of lakhs of families who have lived in Assam for nearly 200 years.
Sarma thanks Soren for his support
CM Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed gratitude to Champai Soren for acknowledging the state’s decisions, stating that strengthening the rights of the tea tribe and Adivasi community remains the government’s “highest commitment.”
Sarma said, “Your encouraging words will continue to inspire us to bring positive change to the lives of all tea worker families.”
The Assam government has pushed several welfare measures in recent years, positioning land rights and socio-economic empowerment as priority issues.
Champai Soren hails Assam’s ‘historic correction’
Former Jharkhand CM Champai Soren strongly praised Assam’s landmark bill that grants land ownership to tea garden workers , a population comprising lakhs of Adivasi and labour families living in Assam for around two centuries.
Calling it a milestone, Soren said the decision finally recognises the community’s long struggle for dignity and legal rights. He added that the Assam Cabinet’s approval to include Jharkhand-rooted Adivasis in the ST list marks another crucial step toward restoring identity and social justice.
Soren also criticised past Congress governments for “denying these rights for decades,” arguing that the present Assam government has taken a “decisive and respectful step” toward addressing historic injustices.
A decision with far-reaching impact
The exchange between the two leaders signals a significant political shift, strengthening ties between Assam’s tea tribe, Adivasi communities, and their ancestral roots in Jharkhand.
With land rights and ST recognition now advancing, the move is expected to reshape not only community welfare but also the political landscape in both states.