Guwahati: A Guwahati-based civil society organisation has strongly condemned the raising of the slogan “Karbi Chinese Go Back” in parts of Assam’s Karbi Anglong and recent attacks on Christmas celebrations in Nalbari, terming them a “dangerous new low” and an indication of growing communalism in Assam.
Sustha Samaj Bikash Chakra (SSBC), a registered trust of intellectuals and social activists, said the incidents reflect the failure of the state government to protect the rights of indigenous communities in Sixth Schedule areas and to uphold the constitutional rights of citizens.
The organisation alleged that communal slogans targeting indigenous Karbis in the Kheroni area and the attacks on Christians in Nalbari point to a climate of political impunity.
In a statement, SSBC expressed concern over what it described as an alarming demographic and political situation in Karbi Anglong. Citing media reports, the trust said Karbi speakers now constitute only about 35 per cent of the district’s population, effectively reducing the indigenous community to a minority in a region created under the Sixth Schedule to ensure tribal protection and self-governance.
It also raised objections to the presence of non-tribal members, including at least two from the BJP, in the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC), calling it a dilution of tribal self-rule.
The organisation criticised the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led government for what it termed a “callous disregard” of a 15-day-long peaceful hunger strike by Karbi leaders demanding protection of tribal land commons, including Village Grazing Reserves (VGRs) and Professional Grazing Reserves (PGRs), from encroachment. According to SSBC, the government failed to address the core demands despite opportunities for dialogue, leading to rising tensions on the ground.
SSBC further alleged a larger conspiracy to transfer protected land in Sixth Schedule areas to corporate interests under the guise of development. It pointed to reported land allotments for cement and mining projects in Dima Hasao district, involving thousands of bighas of land, and claimed such decisions were taken without transparent processes or the consent of affected indigenous communities.
“These developments undermine the spirit of the Constitution, the Forest Rights Act, and the principles of tribal self-governance,” the statement said, warning that the combination of communal polarisation and corporate land acquisition poses a serious threat to indigenous communities in Assam and the wider Northeast.
Referring to the Nalbari incident, SSBC alleged that attacks on Christmas celebrations by members of right-wing groups appeared to enjoy state patronage and were aimed at diverting attention from land-related issues.
The organisation put forward several demands, including an immediate and transparent review of all land allotments in Sixth Schedule areas, strict legal action against those raising racist and communal slogans, and swift punishment of those involved in the Nalbari attacks.
It also called for the preparation of a “purified” electoral roll for all autonomous councils in Assam, in keeping with the Sixth Schedule, to safeguard tribal rights while recognising long-settled non-tribal residents.
SSBC trustees include Apurba Kumar Baruah, Indranee Dutta, Manorama Sharma, Robin Dutta, Ahsan Hazarika, Humayun Choudhury, Deep Das, Kashyap Choudhury, Mrinal Borah, Allen Brooks and Roshmi Goswami.