Assam Congress alleges BJP plotting to undermine tribal land & belt protections

Guwahati, Aug 14: The state Congress, on Thursday, accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of attempting to erode tribal land rights in the state, claiming the party has hatched a conspiracy to marginalise the tribal population.

The allegations came in response to BJP state president Dilip Saikia’s recent remark that in the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) region, “two laws cannot coexist”, referring to the Sixth Schedule and the tribal belt and block system.

“Dilip Saikia said that if the BJP wins the BTC elections, non-indigenous people from Dibrugarh, Sivasagar, and other parts of Assam will be able to buy land in the BTC area. This statement is deeply saddening and has raised serious concerns among indigenous communities,” Congress MLA Jadab Swargiary said at a press meet at Rajiv Bhawan in Guwahati.

According to the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC), the BJP aims to convert tribal belts and blocks into general areas, disrupting the peace and security of Assam’s tribal communities.

“In Goalpara, APDCL chairman Dr. Prakash Kashyap and Lakhipur Municipal chairman Rajesh Gupta have allegedly transferred land belonging to the Rabha community into their own names. In Borduar Bagan — where discussions are underway for the Chaygaon satellite township — there is also an alleged plan to hand over 8,500 bighas of land belonging to 2,100 tribal families to Adani,” Swargiary claimed.

The Congress further pointed out that under the Sixth Schedule in Karbi Anglong, land cannot be bought or sold. Yet, the BJP government has reportedly facilitated corporate investments from groups like Adani and Ambani in the hill districts.

The party also accused the BJP of maintaining an anti-tribal stance since coming to power.

“Both the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister must answer for their hostility toward tribal communities. Congress has always stood with the tribal people. Before elections, the government made grand promises, but once their interests were served, they abandoned the communities,” senior Congress leader Sailen Sonowal said.

Assam Pradesh Mahila Congress president Mira Borthakur also criticised the government, calling it “not only cattle thieves, but also land thieves”.

“Even tribal belt and block land is not spared. Under the guise of evicting ‘doubtful citizens, 54,000 bighas of land have reportedly been transferred to Adani and Ambani for a negligible amount. The issue of tribal land rights must be addressed urgently,” she said.

The Congress’s accusations came a day after Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the state government had begun forming micro tribal belts and blocks in around 600 villages to strengthen protections for tribal communities.

He asserted that the government had “no intention whatsoever to abolish the tribal belt and block system.”