Adivasi family in Tinsukia alleges land grab, AASAA threatens agitation

A land dispute in Namdang Bashbari under Borgolai Gaon Panchayat of Tinsukia district has left an Adivasi family homeless, with the All Adivasi Student Association of Assam (AASAA) vowing to launch an agitation if justice is not delivered.

According to family members, for over a century, late Sukhlal Gorh, an indigenous Adivasi, resided on 12 bighas of land in Ward No. 3 of the area. After his passing, his son Lakhikanta Gorh had entrusted the land documents to a neighbour, Keshav Biswas, for safekeeping. However, when Gorh later demanded the documents back, Biswas allegedly refused, claiming there were no papers and threatening him. The family alleges that for more than 35 years Biswas has been attempting to seize the land fraudulently.

As a result, the Gorh family has been living in a rented house for years, struggling with extreme hardship. On Friday, a team from the AASAA Tinsukia district and Margherita regional committee visited the family and inspected the land.

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AASAA Tinsukia district general secretary Jarnel Minj condemned the alleged land grab, stating, “It is very unfortunate that indigenous Adivasi people are not safe under the BJP-led governments. The slogans of safeguarding Jati, Mati and Bheti are hollow, as non-indigenous individuals now dare to forcibly grab land.”

He further warned that if Biswas does not return the land to the Gorh family, AASAA would pursue legal action and launch a strong agitation. “If any untoward incident occurs during the agitation, the Margherita co-district administration will be held fully responsible,” Minj cautioned.