Guwahati: In a blistering indictment of Assam’s BJP government, Sivasagar MP and Raijor Dal leader Akhil Gogoi launched a late-night broadside on Wednesday, condemning what he called “state-sponsored tyranny” after police unleashed brutal force on peaceful demonstrators in Golakganj, Dhubri district.
According to reports, the protesters, primarily from the Koch-Rajbongshi heartland, had gathered under the banner of the All Koch-Rajbongshi Students’ Union (AKRSU) to demand long-promised Scheduled Tribe (ST) recognition.
Instead of dialogue, they faced lathi charges and injuries, sparking outrage and cries for justice. Eyewitnesses reported police attacking without provocation, leaving young activists bloodied.
Gogoi, once a grassroots firebrand and now a sitting MP, accused Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of betraying the BJP’s 2021 electoral pledge to grant ST status to six key indigenous groups the Koch-Rajbongshi, Ahom, Chutia, Matak, Moran, and Tea Tribes within six months of taking power.
“They promised empowerment, but delivered brutality. Is this what Himanta Biswa Sarma truly stands for?” Gogoi thundered, demanding the arrest of officers responsible.
The Golakganj flashpoint follows similar unrest in Guwahati’s Chachal just a day earlier, where AKRSU members coupled the ST demand with calls for a separate Kamatapur state and land rights in Bodoland.
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Social media has since erupted with anger, amplifying fears of spiraling ethnic unrest across the state.
At the heart of the fury lies frustration with the BJP’s failure to act despite repeated cabinet assurances and consultations in Delhi.
Instead, tribal recognition remains trapped in red tape and factional disputes, fueling resentment. The situation worsened after dismissive remarks from BTR leadership, prompting protesters in Golakganj to burn effigies of Sarma as a symbol of betrayal.
“Jai to the six communities! We will not be silenced,” Gogoi declared, rallying support for what he framed as a historic tribal awakening.
Opposition parties have now joined calls for an independent probe, warning that Assam’s fractured polity risks tipping into deeper turmoil as elections loom.
For many young protesters, the message is clear: justice delayed is justice denied and their patience has run out.
Akhil Gogoi also uploaded a video where a paramilitary force resorting lathicharge. Blood running on the face of youth and many lying on the ground.
However, there is no any statement so far from police or government officials.
On the other hand thousands of Moran Tribes came out this evening in Tinsukia for a torch rally demanding ST Status and autonomy.
” This demand is since 1965 , but the government is not taking it seriously.” A teacher said .
Political analyst and Social Expert say that the government should come to a solution to this long pending demand before it takes the shape of a statewide agitation and people go against it .