Assam's land bill for tea workers sparks opposition concerns over election timing and intentions

The Assam Assembly has recently passed an amendment bill intended to allow the government to distribute land within the labour lines of tea estates to workers for ownership of housing.

While the move has been presented as a step towards improving the welfare of tea garden workers, the decision has attracted scrutiny from the opposition. Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Gaurav Gogoi has publicly raised concerns about the timing and authenticity of the government’s initiative, suggesting it may serve as a political strategy ahead of forthcoming state elections.

Gogoi, addressing media at a party meeting in Guwahati, expressed reservations regarding the government’s true intentions, stating, "There are deep doubts on the timing of this decision and whether it will remain on paper or actually be implemented." He further questioned why similar policies had not been enacted earlier, especially given the government’s time in office.

Gogoi pressed the matter further by asking, "If the government truly intended to give land rights to the tea community, why didn't they do it in the last 10 years? Why has this law been brought just four months before the elections?" The Congress leader argued that such reforms could have been implemented during previous leadership tenures, including both Sarbananda Sonowal and Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Expanding his criticism, Gogoi alleged that Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his family have acquired multiple tea gardens in recent years. He commented, "If the government genuinely wished to provide land rights to tea workers, the CM could have done so long ago instead of purchasing garden after garden." Gogoi suggested the Chief Minister should publicly disclose the list of tea gardens acquired by his family and grant land rights to workers from those estates to demonstrate genuine commitment.

Gogoi continued, "It is only then people will be convinced that the government truly wants to grant land rights to the tea community and this is not merely an election gimmick." He also called on the government to address pressing issues faced by small tea growers as well as persistent challenges around education, healthcare, and social welfare for tea garden workers.

The Congress party has announced its intention to launch protest programmes across various districts in Assam, commencing on 10 December. The opposition maintains that these demonstrations are necessary to keep attention focused on the needs of the tea garden community and to scrutinise the government’s delivery on its promises amid concerns over rising health and social challenges.