Assam: Thousands march on NH-17 as Nath-Yogi community demand land rights and autonomous council

Thousands of members of the Nath-Yogi community took to the streets of Dudhnoi on Thursday, January 8 evening, staging a massive torch-light protest to press for long-pending demands related to land rights, legal recognition and self-governance.

 

The protest, organised jointly by the Nath-Yogi Students’ Union and the Nath-Yogi Sanmilani, saw demonstrators marching along National Highway-17, reverberating the town with slogans and fiery speeches. Holding burning torches, protesters warned the state government against continued neglect, asserting that failure to address their demands would have serious political consequences in the upcoming elections.

 

At the core of the agitation is the demand for recognition of the Nath-Yogi community as a fully protected class under the Assam Land and Revenue Regulation, 1886, specifically Chapter X, Section 164. The community has also sought the immediate formation of a “Nath-Yogi Satellite Autonomous Council”, aimed at ensuring self-governance, socio-economic development and secure land ownership rights for the community, which claims a population of nearly 42 lakh people across Assam.

 

The rally commenced from the historic Dudhnoi Jana Mandir, wound its way through key areas of the town, and culminated back at the temple premises. Addressing the gathering, community leaders cautioned that if the government fails to prioritise their demands before the Assembly polls, the Nath-Yogi community would be compelled to intensify its agitation and explore alternative political alignments.

 

This latest protest is part of a sustained movement. Over the years, the Nath-Yogi community has organised similar demonstrations across Goalpara and adjoining districts, consistently raising concerns over land alienation, socio-economic marginalisation and lack of constitutional recognition within Assam’s diverse ethnic framework.

 

Earlier rallies held in 2018 and 2021 in Guwahati and Goalpara had amplified demands for an autonomous council, drawing parallels with other indigenous communities in the state that have successfully secured such councils. Despite repeated assurances from political leaders, the absence of tangible policy action has continued to fuel resentment and unrest.