Assam: Kalita community stages massive protest in Nalbari demanding land, education rights

Hundreds of members of the Kalita community held a large-scale protest in Nalbari today, October 26 demanding recognition as a Scheduled Tribe and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.

Organized by the Kalita Janagosthi Sanmilan, the rally began at the Government Higher Secondary School playground and proceeded through the streets of Nalbari, with participants carrying banners and placards reading messages such as “Land for Kalitas, Justice for Kalitas” and “Education is Our Right.” Students, community leaders, and social activists joined the demonstration, highlighting the community’s longstanding concerns over land rights, educational access, and constitutional safeguards.

Addressing the protesters, leaders of the Sanmilan emphasized that the movement was not politically motivated but aimed at securing the basic legal and constitutional rights of the Kalita community. They warned that the agitation would expand statewide if the government failed to respond in a timely manner.

The protest follows the formal submission of a memorandum to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on October 25, urging the state government to recognize the Kalita community as a Scheduled Tribe. The memorandum references decades-long efforts for recognition, including approaches to the President of India in 1988, submissions to the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs and the Union Ministry of Home Affairs in 2015, and meetings with top officials such as Rajnath Singh in 2016.

The Sanmilan’s memorandum notes that, despite these efforts, the Assam government has yet to constitute the expert committee required to examine the submissions. They urged the Chief Minister to promptly establish the committee, review the documents, pass a unanimous resolution in the Assam Legislative Assembly, and forward it to the Central Government for approval.

With a peaceful but firm warning, the Sanmilan reiterated that immediate government action is essential to ensure the legal, educational, and land rights of the Kalita community.