Assam: KSDC’s first annual session in Kokrajhar amplifies call for Kamtapur state, ST status and peace accord

The Kokrajhar District Committee of the Kamtapur State Demand Council (KSDC) convened its first annual session on Sunday at Kalipukhuri, marking a pivotal moment in the council’s ongoing struggle for regional recognition and identity. The day-long programme drew the participation of over 150 representatives from across the district, reinforcing a unified call for long-standing demands.

At the heart of the deliberations was a renewed push for the signing of a peace accord with both factions of the Kamtapur Liberation Organisation (KLO)—the group led by Jibon Singha and the KN Group faction headed by D.L. Koch. KSDC leaders asserted that despite seven rounds of dialogue between the Government of India and the KLO, there has been no tangible progress toward finalising an agreement.

Baniram Barman, President of KSDC's Kokrajhar District Committee, voiced deep concern over the Central Government's delay in concluding the peace process. "We have seen accords signed with groups like the BLT and NDFB, yet the aspirations of the Koch Rajbongshi community continue to be ignored," Barman said.

The council also reiterated three key demands:

Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for the Koch Rajbongshi community,

Reconstruction of the Kamtapur state, and

Inclusion of the Kamtapuri-Koch Rajbongshi language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.

In a significant move, the KSDC announced a mass protest demonstration in Dispur on July 20, to press for immediate government action on these demands.

The session concluded with impassioned slogans echoing through the air, supporting peace talks and the leadership of KLO’s Jibon Singha and D.L. Koch. The gathering was not just a show of strength but a clear message to the Centre—the Kamtapur movement is far from fading.