Kamatapur Statehood Demand Sparks Massive Protest in Guwahati

A massive protest erupted in the heart of Guwahati on Monday as the Sadou Asom Kamatapur Rajya Dabi Parishad, backed by 34 allied organisations, staged a vociferous demonstration demanding Scheduled Tribe status for the Koch Rajbongshi community and the re-establishment of a separate Kamatapur state.

The protest, held at the bustling Chachal protest site, drew thousands from across Assam and neighbouring states, including West Bengal and Bihar. Participants travelled from districts such as Kokrajhar, Dhubri, Chirang, Baksa, Udalguri, Goalpara, and Bongaigaon to join the day-long agitation.

Raising slogans and holding banners, protesters demanded:

• Immediate grant of ST status to the Koch Rajbongshi community

• Reconstitution of a separate Kamatapur state

• Inclusion of the Rajbongshi language in the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution

• Fast-tracking of ongoing peace talks with the Kamatapur Liberation Organisation (KLO)

In a symbolic display of anguish, several protestors shaved their heads as part of a mundan protest, underscoring the depth of their disappointment with successive governments.

Addressing the gathering, leaders of the Sadou Asom Kamatapur Rajya Dabi Parishad accused both the Centre and the Assam government of dragging their feet on commitments made over decades. “The Koch Rajbongshi people have waited too long for justice. The promise of ST status and political autonomy cannot remain in cold storage forever,” said one of the leading organisers.

The demonstration comes at a time when the Centre has been holding intermittent peace talks with the KLO, a banned insurgent outfit that has, in recent years, expressed willingness to join the mainstream.

Organisers warned that if their demands continue to be ignored, the movement would intensify in the coming weeks, with larger statewide mobilisations and sustained protests.

The protest remained peaceful but sent a strong message to Dispur and Delhi — that the demand for Kamatapur and constitutional recognition of the Koch Rajbongshi community remains a burning issue in the region’s political landscape.

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