Barduar Residents Stage Fierce Protest Over Assam Govt’s Controversial Satellite Township Plan

Thousands of people gathered in South Kamrup's Barduar area under the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council (RHAC) on Thursday to protest against the Assam government's alleged move to allot 1,500 acres of land from the Barduar Tea Estate to the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) for the construction of a Satellite Township under the 'Advantage Assam' initiative.

The mass protest, held at the Jarapata playground despite continuous rain, was led by the Barduar Bagan Land Pattani Demand Committee. Farmers, many of whom left their paddy fields mid-season, participated in large numbers to register their opposition. 

Protesters raised slogans against the state government, targeting Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and local GMDA executive member Hemanga Thakuria, accusing them of facilitating the displacement of tribal communities.

“The government is trying to dismantle the tribal belt and distribute land to outsiders in the name of development. We won’t allow this to happen,” said Gobinda Rabha, convenor of the protest committee.

The Samiti, supported by several tribal and farmers’ organizations, alleged that the proposed township would violate the rights of indigenous landholders under the Assam (Temporarily Settled Areas) Tenancy Act, 1971, and lead to irreversible environmental degradation.

Prominent Voices Raise Concerns

Addressing the protest, Asom Nagarik Samaj president Paresh Malakar questioned the government’s dual policy on land rights.

“Those evicted from Barduar—are they not indigenous? If so, why is their land being taken?” he asked.
All India Kisan Sabha general secretary Jayanta Gogoi added,

“We don’t need land under the Mission Basundhara scheme. We demand legal ownership as per the 1971 Act.”
Subrata Talukdar, convenor of the Joint Committee for Land Rights, said the protest was a larger battle for the survival of Assam's tribal identity.

“If we fail to protect land rights now, we’ll lose our cultural and political rights too,” he stated.

Political Fallout

The protest also triggered political developments. Ratneswar Rabha, secretary of the Rabha Yuva Parishad and a member of the BJP’s Mandal Committee, announced his resignation from the party in protest.

“This government has betrayed the tribal people. We will respond in the 2026 Assembly elections,” he said.

Environmental and Educational Concerns

Speakers at the protest warned that the proposed urban development would severely damage the local environment.

“Guwahati has already become a cautionary tale. We don’t want unplanned urbanization here,” said Aditya Rabha, vice-president of the Barduar Bagan Land Pattani Demand Committee.

In a symbolic show of solidarity, teachers and students from Gyan Jyoti Jatiya Vidyalaya marched to the protest site and submitted a memorandum opposing the township.

The protest concluded with a pledge to continue the agitation until the government withdraws the land allotment plan and ensures protection of tribal land under constitutional and legal provisions.

Also Read: Barduar Tea Garden Tenants at Chandubi Seek Permanent Land Rights