Guwahati
As many as 10 tribal organisations on Thursday staged a three-hour dharna in Assam’s Kokrajhar, demanding stronger protection of tribal land, strict enforcement of existing legal safeguards and decisive action against alleged encroachment on land legally reserved for protected tribal communities.
The demonstration, held at the Kokrajhar Government Higher Secondary and Multipurpose Playground, brought together tribal organisations concerned about the implementation of land-protection provisions and the alleged transfer or occupation of protected land by people belonging to non-protected communities.
The protest was organised by several 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.
Following the dharna, the participating organisations submitted a memorandum addressed to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) Chief Hagrama Mohilary through the Kokrajhar District Commissioner. The memorandum urged both the State government and the BTC administration to strengthen the enforcement of laws protecting tribal land and take effective measures to prevent alleged encroachment and unauthorised transfers of land to members of non-protected communities.
Former MP Alleges Large-Scale Occupation Of Tribal Land
Addressing reporters, former Lok Sabha MP and tribal leader Sansuma Khungur Bwiswmuthiary highlighted the constitutional and statutory safeguards provided to tribal communities after Independence. He referred to the protection available under the Sixth Schedule in designated areas and stressed the need to ensure that existing legal provisions translate into effective protection on the ground.
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 figure was cited by the former MP to underline the scale of the land-rights concerns raised by tribal organisations.
The allegation places the spotlight on the enforcement of land-protection laws and the responsibilities of the state government and BTC administration in preventing illegal occupation, investigating complaints and ensuring that land legally protected for tribal communities is not transferred or occupied in violation of applicable provisions.
Bwiswmuthiary urged the Assam government and the BTC administration to take immediate steps to protect tribal land and ensure effective implementation of statutory safeguards. He also called for the eviction of people allegedly occupying protected tribal land unlawfully, making it clear that any such action should follow court directions and established legal procedures.
Demand For Tighter Monitoring And Administrative Accountability
The organisations participating in the protest called for stronger monitoring of tribal belts and blocks, where land-protection provisions are intended to safeguard the interests of designated communities. They also sought greater accountability from the administrative machinery in dealing with complaints of illegal occupation and unauthorised land transfers.
Their demands centre on ensuring that existing legal protections are enforced consistently rather than remaining provisions on paper. Effective implementation, the organisations maintained, is essential to protecting tribal communities’ land rights and preserving the safeguards intended for their benefit.
The issue has particular significance in the Bodoland region, where questions concerning tribal land, political representation and constitutional protections remain important to indigenous communities. The latest demonstration reflects continuing mobilisation by tribal organisations seeking stronger implementation of existing safeguards and action against alleged violations.
The protest also brings renewed attention to the distinction between the existence of legal protections and their enforcement. While the organisations have called for firm action against alleged encroachment, the claims of illegal occupation require examination under the relevant laws and procedures before specific cases can be conclusively established.
The organisations said they would continue to press the state government and BTC administration for concrete measures to protect the land, political and constitutional rights of Assam’s indigenous tribal communities.
