Land Is our right: United protest erupts in Assam against evictions, corporate land grab

GUWAHATI, April 25: In a rare display of unity, more than 300 protestors from the plains and hills of Assam came together in Guwahati to oppose what they described as an aggressive corporate land grab sanctioned by the Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma-led BJP government.

Members of the Bhumi Odhikar Joutho Sangram Samity (BOJSS) and Karbi Anglong Sauroshakti Prakalpa Prabhabito Jana Odhikar Committee staged a sit-in demonstration at Sachal Designated Dharna Ground in Guwahati, accusing the government of forcibly evicting indigenous communities — including the Karbi, Dimasa, Mising, Rabha, and Tiwa — from their ancestral lands in Karbi Anglong to make way for large-scale projects by corporate giants like Adani and Ambani.

Protestors condemned the planned solar power project backed by the Asian Development Bank and a compressed bio-gas project proposed by the Ambani Group, both of which involve evictions. They demanded immediate cancellation of these projects and called on the government to stop transferring tribal land to corporate houses in the name of development.

This marks the first time two grassroots organizations — one from the hills and the other from the plains — have joined forces in Assam to demand land rights. The groups also voiced strong opposition to land acquisition schemes like Mission Basundhara, alleging that land meant for the poor is being funnelled into land banks to benefit corporations under initiatives such as Advantage Assam.

“Our land is our right — there is no alternative to a united movement to assert this right,” said BOJSS convenor Subrat Talukdar. “If our demands are ignored, we will intensify our movement, including a siege of the Assembly.”

The protest also extended support to those affected by the Silshako eviction in Guwahati and demanded justice for the displaced indigenous people of Mikir-Bamuni and the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council (RHAC) area.

The gathering saw fiery speeches from prominent voices including All Party Hills Leaders Conference (APHLC) president Johnnes Inti Kathar, Rajya Sabha MP Ajit Kumar Bhuyan, CPI(ML) state secretary Vivek Das, senior advocate Shantanu Barthakur, and tribal rights leaders Pranab Doley and Bikram Hanse.

Speakers accused the government of betraying indigenous communities by handing over “thousands of bighas” to corporate conglomerates. They warned that unless the state reverses course, widespread protests will follow.

At the conclusion of the sit-in, protest leaders submitted a memorandum to the government with four key demands, including cancellation of the proposed projects, halting all evictions, protection of Sixth Schedule land rights, and fair compensation for displaced families.

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