Assam: Cabinet sub-committee to submit report on inclusion of Rabha Hasong community in Sixth Schedule

The demand to include the Rabha Hasong community in the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution has been gaining momentum recently. The Sixth Schedule provides for the administration of tribal areas in the states of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram, with the aim of promoting the social, economic, and educational development of tribal communities while protecting their distinct culture and way of life.

Tribal Welfare Minister Dr. Ronoj Pegu has announced that a Cabinet sub-committee will submit its report on the feasibility of including the Rabha Hasong community in the Sixth Schedule within two months. This announcement followed a demand by Durga Das Boro during the zero hour in the Assembly, where he highlighted the community's long-standing demand for greater autonomy and self-governance.

The Rabha Hasong community, primarily located in the western districts of Assam, has been demanding inclusion in the Sixth Schedule for several years. The Cabinet sub-committee's report is expected to examine the potential benefits of such inclusion, including protecting their land, language, and culture while promoting their overall development.

Meanwhile, on April 4, over 7,000 people from the Rabha Hasong area participated in a public rally at Dudhnai, demanding the inclusion of Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council (RHAC) areas in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India. The joint call by All Rabha Students Union, The Nikhil Rabha Mahila Parishad, and the Sixth Schedule Demand Committee was supported by all three Rabha organizations of Goalpara district and several Rabha national organizations.

Chief of Rabha Hasong, Tonkeshwar Rabha, strongly criticized the ruling party in his speech during the rally, stating that the Rabha Hasong area would not come to a standstill without the Sixth Schedule. He also threatened to ban the BJP in the Rabha Hasong area if the demand for the Sixth Schedule was not met, stating that the struggle would continue until justice for the Rabha caste was achieved.