The Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) staged a significant demonstration in Tinsukia town on Monday, delivering a strong warning to the government over the urgent need to safeguard the land and political rights of Assam's indigenous communities.
March Through Tinsukia Highlights Growing Unrest
Led by its president, Palash Changmai, hundreds of AJYCP activists paraded through the town, voicing loud slogans against ongoing land encroachment and the perceived marginalisation of native populations. The rally brought the town to a standstill, reflecting the deepening concerns over these issues.
The protest zeroed in on the rising tensions in Assam's Sixth Schedule areas, specifically naming Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao. The organisation pressed both the state and central governments to act immediately to uphold the constitutional rights of indigenous tribes. They argue these rights are being systematically weakened by what they term "non-Assamese outsiders."
Leadership Voices Existential Fears for Tribal Autonomy
Addressing the assembled crowd, Changmai expressed grave worry over the recent spate of violence and unrest in Karbi Anglong. He asserted that securing the land and political rights of the Karbi people and other indigenous groups is non-negotiable for preserving the region's demographic and cultural fabric.
"The stance of the Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad is clear," Changmai declared. "The land rights of the indigenous people in Assam must be protected. The govt must remain committed to the right to self-determination of the Karbi people in Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao. We cannot allow non-Assamese outsiders to pose any challenge to tribal autonomy."
Allegations of Systematic Land Encroachment
The AJYCP leader pledged his organisation's full support to the Karbi people's ongoing movement against alleged land encroachment by non-indigenous settlers in West Karbi Anglong. Changmai accused outsiders of a systematic conspiracy to illegally purchase land and occupy areas designated as Professional Grazing Reserves (PGR) and Village Grazing Reserves (VGR).
He pointed out a critical legal contradiction: while the Constitution strictly prohibits non-tribals from acquiring land in Sixth Schedule areas, this rule is being flagrantly violated. "Lakhs of non-indigenous people have now settled in these districts, enjoying land ownership," he stated. "This has pushed the indigenous Karbi people to the brink of an existential crisis."
Changmai emphasised that these violations are allowing outsiders to marginalise the very communities to whom the land rightfully belongs, creating a severe threat to their survival.
The protest culminated with the submission of a formal memorandum to the authorities. The document calls for an immediate halt to illegal land transfers and the eviction of encroachers from VGR and PGR lands, marking a direct demand for administrative and legal intervention to address the crisis.
