Assam: Key decisions taken on indigenous people’s rights at AASU-CM meet

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: Several important decisions were taken during the talks held today between the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) and Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma on the implementation of the report of the high-level committee headed by Justice (retd) BK Sharma, which includes land rights for indigenous people, protection of religious sites of the indigenous people, implementation of the Assam Official Language Act, and making Assamese a compulsory subject in English medium schools.

Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma said after the Cabinet meeting that a total of 38 points were agreed to in the meeting with AASU leaders. He said that these matters will be included in the budget speech and that the recommendations of the Justice (retd.) BK Sharma Commission will be implemented in a time-bound manner.

The Chief Minister also said that a survey will be conducted in sar areas, but no settlement will be done. For settlement, the AASU and the government will discuss and prepare modalities after holding consultation with political and social organisations.

Talking to the media after the meeting, chief adviser of AASU Samujjal Kumar Bhattacharjya, president Utpal Sarma, and general secretary Samiran Phukon said that a decision has been taken to set up revenue circles in the line of tribal belts and blocks, and a policy to this effect will be drawn up by September 2025. This will enable land rights to remain in the hands of the indigenous people, and land can be bought and sold only between indigenous people. For the first time, it was decided that a survey of prime agricultural land and non-agricultural land will be done in the state. Prime agricultural land would not be allowed to be used for other purposes without the permission of the state government. However, non-agricultural land will be considered as industry land.

It was also decided that, to look after all land-related issues, 2,000 posts will be created for land administration within three years. Similarly, a land tribunal will be set up to resolve any conflicts on land ownership.

Moreover, it was decided that all English medium schools in the Brahmaputra valley have to make Assamese a compulsory subject and that the Bodo/Assamese subject will be compulsory in BTR. However, the decision to make the subject compulsory in schools in Barak Valley and two hill districts will be taken later, it was stated. Also, it was decided that Assamese history will be made a compulsory subject for students up to Class VIII from the academic year 2026-27.

On this issue, the CM clarified that geography will be combined with Assamese history as a subject.

Regarding the implementation of Assamese as the official language in all communications, notifications, and documents, it was decided that this will be done from the first day of the Assamese month of Bohag this year. Also, that all the existing documents will be translated into Assamese. The government has decided to refer the matter to either Dibrugarh University or Gauhati University to prepare an AI tool to translate the documents into Assamese efficiently.

The AASU leadership responded to the decision by saying that even as the process goes on to develop an AI translation tool, the matter can be handled by the Legislative Department of the Official Language Wing, and they can take it forward. The leaders also urged the government to make the Directorate of Assam Official Language Implementation an independent and full-fledged entity. More power should be devolved to the directorate to enable it to impose penal provisions for non-implementation of Assamese as the official language.

Another demand of the AASU is that a Lakshminath Bezbaruah chair be instituted at Assam University, Silchar, and a Padmanath Gohainbaruah chair be set up for the Assamese department at Tezpur University. The Chief Minister is said to have assured the AASU leadership that he will write to both the universities regarding instituting the chairs.

A significant decision was reached at the meeting regarding a protection policy for xatras, naamghars, and other religious sites of the indigenous people in the state. A policy decision on a commission for the development of xatras will be taken within three months, the government side has assured the students’ body.

Construction of multi-purpose cultural complexes in every district, allocation of Rs. 100 crore for Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra, and provincialisation of Jyoti Chitrabon employees are some of the other decisions taken at the meeting. Another meeting between the two will be held before March 10, and one more in the first week of April, the AASU leaders stated.

The AASU side raised the demand for a trilateral talk on the recommendations of the high-level committee that are under the purview of the central government. The government side said that it has already initiated the matter with the centre.

Also Read: CMO Invites AASU Leaders for Feb 16 Talks on Clause 6 Implementation

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