Tribal groups hold 3-hour dharna in Kokrajhar, demand stronger protection of land rights

At least 10 tribal organisations of Assam staged a three-hour dharna in Kokrajhar on October 8, demanding stronger protection of tribal land and stricter enforcement of existing legal safeguards.

The protest was held at the Kokrajhar Government Higher Secondary and Multipurpose Playground and was organised by tribal bodies including the Coordination Committee of Tribal Organisations of Assam (CCTOA), All Bodo Students’ Union (ABSU), Rabha Students’ Union, Garo Students’ Union and All Assam Tribal Sangha.

The organisations later submitted a memorandum addressed to BTC Chief Hagrama Mohilary and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma through the Kokrajhar District Commissioner.

The memorandum called for stronger enforcement of provisions protecting tribal land and urged the authorities to take steps to prevent the alleged encroachment and transfer of protected land to people from non-protected communities.

Speaking to reporters, former Lok Sabha MP and tribal leader Sansuma Khungur Bwiswmuthiary said tribal communities had been given constitutional safeguards after Independence, including protection under the Sixth Schedule in designated areas.

Bwiswmuthiary expressed concern over what he described as increasing pressure on protected tribal land due to alleged encroachments by people from non-protected communities.

He claimed that more than three lakh bighas of tribal land in the BTC region had allegedly been occupied by non-tribal people.

The former MP urged the Assam government and the BTC administration to take immediate steps to protect tribal land and ensure that statutory safeguards were implemented effectively.

He also called for the eviction of people allegedly occupying protected tribal land in violation of the law, saying any such action should be carried out strictly in accordance with court directions and due legal procedures.

The protesting organisations also demanded stronger monitoring of tribal belts and blocks and greater administrative accountability in dealing with alleged illegal occupation and transfer of protected land.

The latest protest comes amid continuing mobilisation by tribal organisations in Assam over the protection of existing tribal rights and safeguards. Tribal bodies have previously raised concerns over land rights and other constitutional protections, particularly in the Bodoland region.

The organisations said they would continue to press the government for concrete measures to protect the land, political and constitutional rights of Assam's indigenous tribal communities.