The Case for Granting Scheduled Tribe Status to the Koch Rajbongshi Community

Abstract

This article critically examines the socio-cultural, historical, and political dimensions of the Koch Rajbongshi community's longstanding demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status in India. Despite indigenous roots, distinct cultural identity, and socioeconomic disadvantage, their recognition remains stalled due to bureaucratic inertia and fragmented identity politics. Drawing on ethnographic insights, the article highlights the consequences of continued exclusion. It emphasizes the community's animistic traditions, often mistaken for Hindu practices and their deep historical ties to the Koch identity and the legacy of Cooch Behar. With the original Koch language nearly extinct and Kamatapuri now the spoken tongue, the article calls for an inclusive policy approach that upholds constitutional promises of equality, cultural preservation, and historical justice.

Keywords: Koch Rajbongshi, Scheduled Tribe, Cultural Identity, Marginalization, Indigeno us Rights, Socioeconomic Empowerment, Political Barriers, Cultural Preservation, Koch, Kamatapur, Cooch Behar Princely State, Biddapur Princely State, Beltola Princely State, Bijni Princely State, Kochila Princely State, Gauripur Princely State, Undivided Goalpara State, Assam, North Bengal