ULFA(I), NSCN/GPRN call for boycott of Independence Day programmes in Assam, Northeast

The United Liberation Army of Assam (Independent) and the NSCN/GPRN have jointly called for a boycott of programmes marking Independence Day on August 15, 2026, in Assam and other parts of the Northeast.

In a statement circulated on August 10, the two organisations said they opposed the celebration of what they described as the “so-called Independence Day” of India, claiming that the indigenous peoples of the region remained under what they termed Indian “occupation” and “colonial rule”.

The organisations claimed that the people of Assam and the Naga community had distinct political identities, histories and cultures and argued that India’s Independence Day should not be celebrated in their ancestral territories.

They also criticised the government’s approach to the region, alleging that Independence Day celebrations were being used to normalise what they described as the political subjugation of indigenous communities.

The statement further said the two organisations remained committed to what they described as the restoration of “sovereign independence”. The ULFA(I) also claimed that it would continue its armed struggle for what it termed the restoration of independence.

The organisations, however, said their call this year would not take the form of a general shutdown, citing the ongoing flood situation in Assam.

Referring to the devastation caused by floods, the statement said a shutdown could affect rescue, relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts. It instead appealed to people to boycott programmes associated with Independence Day.

The call for the boycott was extended to areas in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Nagaland.

The organisations described the proposed boycott as an expression of solidarity and political opposition to the Indian state.