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KOKRAJHAR: The All Assam Tribal Students’ Union (AATSU) on Monday strongly condemned the Assam Government, the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), and the Dima Hasao Autonomous Council for what it termed the unconstitutional and illegal transfer of protected tribal lands in the name of development. These actions, according to AATSU, are affecting Kokrajhar (Bashbari), Kamrup (Barduar), and Umrongso in Dima Hasao district.
AATSU president Haresewar Brahma and joint secretary Bongsina Enghee stated that the government has initiated several projects, including the proposed Barduar Satellite Township Project over 1,500 acres in Kamrup district, which falls within notified Tribal Belts and Blocks. Additionally, they cited the allotment of 3,600 bighas of protected land to the Adani Group for an APDCL project in Bashbari, Kokrajhar; 2,400 bighas for a proposed Railway Coach Factory in the same region; 1,000 bighas for a Border Security Force (BSF) camp in Bashbari; and 9,000 bighas for a power project by the Adani Group in Umrongso, Dima Hasao.
They claimed these projects are coming at the cost of the ancestral lands and livelihoods of indigenous communities such as the Bodo, Rabha, Garo, Dimasa, Karbi, and others, who are facing mass eviction without proper consultation, consent, or compensation.
“This is a systematic violation of constitutional and legal provisions,” said the AATSU leaders. “The BTC is a Sixth Schedule area with constitutional guarantees for the protection of tribal lands and culture, including control over land and resources by the autonomous council, and preservation of traditional customs and practices.” They further pointed out that the lands in Barduar, Kamrup, fall under notified Tribal Belts and Blocks, protected under the Assam Land and Revenue Regulation Act, 1886, which prohibits the transfer of land to non-tribal and non-protected classes. Despite widespread objections from tribal communities, the government has been facilitating these projects, allegedly prioritizing the interests of corporate entities with close ties to the ruling party, while ignoring the fundamental rights of indigenous people.
AATSU also stated that the Assam government’s actions violate rulings of the Gauhati High Court as well as international laws. They referenced PIL 78/2012, where the Gauhati High Court had mandated equitable enforcement of eviction policies—yet, they noted, tribals are being evicted while illegal occupation by non-tribals remains unaddressed.
They added that these actions are in direct violation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP, 2007), which guarantees the right to self-determination, protection from forced eviction, and preservation of cultural, linguistic, and territorial identity.
The AATSU leaders also raised concerns over the establishment of the Assam Skill University (ASU) in Mangaldai. The university, they said, was established with significant funding and institutional support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), with a project proposal that justified its mission as one to benefit underprivileged tribal populations. However, AATSU claimed that once established, the university has failed to uphold its commitments to tribal inclusion.
According to the union, serious violations of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act occurred during recent recruitment for assistant professors. They alleged that reservation norms were not followed, no preference was given to eligible candidates from SC/ST or indigenous backgrounds, and that selective, non-transparent hiring practices were carried out. This, they said, reflects a clear betrayal of the university’s stated mission and constitutional obligations toward the upliftment of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
The AATSU further alleged that the Assam government is not only disregarding the rule of law but is engaged in a systematic and coordinated effort to displace, disenfranchise, and silence tribal voices in Assam. They described the mass evictions, corporate land grabs, and institutional exclusions as a modern form of colonization of indigenous lands, disguised under the narrative of development and progress. These actions, they argued, also violate India’s international commitments under UNDRIP.
Calling the ongoing projects a slow colonization of tribal homelands, the AATSU issued several demands that the immediate halt to all evictions in Bashbari (Kokrajhar) and Barduar (Kamrup); Cancellation of all land allocations and township proposals in protected tribal areas; An independent judicial inquiry into all land transfers from tribal belts and blocks; Strict enforcement of Sixth Schedule protections and the Assam Land and Revenue Regulation, 1886; Full rehabilitation and legal security for all tribal families affected by these projects; A constitutional audit and judicial inquiry into recruitment practices at Assam Skill University. Proper enforcement of reservation norms and SC/ST Act provisions in all state institutions, especially those established in the name of tribal upliftment.
Also Read: Assam: AATSU Opposes Land Allotment to Adani, Rail Factory in Kokrajhar
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