Assam: AJYCP demands land protection for indigenous people, calls for protest against big dams from June 28

Reiterating its long-standing stance on protecting indigenous rights, the Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) has called for a ban on land ownership by individuals who have not resided in Assam for at least three generations. The demand was made during the organization’s meeting held in Bajali on June 22.

 

The meeting saw active participation from key AJYCP leaders, including President Palash Changmai and General Secretary Bijon Bayan, alongside other senior members and activists.

 

In a strong statement, the AJYCP leadership asserted that only the indigenous people — the sons of the soil — should have full and exclusive rights over land in Assam, and policies must be framed to prevent any external encroachment that threatens their existence and identity.

 

The organization also raised serious environmental concerns, stating that floods and riverbank erosion should be officially declared national issues to ensure robust and sustainable interventions at the central level.

 

Furthermore, the AJYCP voiced its opposition to ongoing hydroelectric projects, calling them environmentally detrimental and posing long-term risks to the ecological stability of Assam.

 

In a significant move, the student body announced a state-wide protest starting June 28, demanding an immediate halt to the construction of large dams in the region.