A tense situation took place at the BTC Secretariat in Kokrajhar after a massive protest by the Tribal Students’ Union of Bodoland University turned violent. The demonstration, which began as a march, quickly escalated when the agitating students broke the main entrance gate and entered the Secretariat premises on Friday.
According to officials, the protesters forced their way inside and vandalised several tables and chairs in the office area. Staff members present inside the building were taken by surprise as the crowd pushed through the gate, shouting slogans and demanding that their concerns be heard. The sudden unrest created panic in the Secretariat campus, which usually remains a high-security zone.
This attack at the BTC Secretariat comes amid rising tension across the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR). On November 27, a wave of anger spread through different parts of the region after the Assam Cabinet accepted the Group of Ministers (GoM) report recommending Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for six communities. Several tribal groups have expressed fear that the inclusion of the new communities may affect their political and social rights within the BTR. 
The Tribal Students’ Union claimed that their protest was a response to what they described as repeated neglect of their concerns. They said the decision on ST status has created uncertainty among tribal students and youths in the region. The students added that they wanted the BTC administration to immediately take a clear stand on the matter.
