Assam: CCTOA Demands Action Against Encroachers, Stages Protest in Kokrajhar

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KOKRAJHAR: The BTC Coordination Committee of Tribal Organisations (CCTOA) staged a three-hour sit-in protest in Kokrajhar on Thursday, accusing the BTC government and district administrations of failing to comply with a Gauhati High Court order to evict illegal encroachers from tribal belts and blocks. The protesters raised seven demands, including protection of tribal land, eviction of encroachers, implementation of the Forest Rights Act, 2006, and ensuring land rights for tribal people. The protest was held from 11 am to 2 pm at the playground of Kokrajhar Government Higher Secondary and Multipurpose School. More than 100 protesters from various tribal organisations, including AASU, the Rabha, Garo and Hajong Students' Associations, Bodo Sahitya Sabha, Rabha Sahitya Sabha, Bodoland Tribal Protection Forum and Tribal Sangha, participated in the demonstration. They held placards and raised slogans demanding immediate eviction of encroachers and protection of tribal rights.

Former MP Sansuma Khunggur Bwiswmuthiary criticised the BTC government for failing to act against illegal encroachments. He said the BTC was formed under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, which provides safeguards for tribal land. Despite existing legal protections, more than 4.5 lakh bighas of land in tribal belts and blocks under the BTC had allegedly been encroached upon by non-tribal people.

Bwiswmuthiary said the Gauhati High Court had issued an order in 2019 to evict illegal encroachers, but the BTC leadership had failed to act accordingly. He urged elected tribal representatives to implement the court's order or resign, alleging that encroachments were also damaging natural resources.

CCTOA president Niranjan Brahma, who led the protest, submitted a memorandum containing the seven demands to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and BTC chief Hagrama Mohilary through the district commissioner.

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