Doyang Locals to Stage Mass Rally in January for Ancestral Land Rights

Frustrated by decades of unmet demands, residents of Doyang have resolved to intensify their long-standing struggle for land rights, announcing a mass public rally in January next year. The decision emerged from a representative meeting held on Sunday at the Soneswar Bora Public Hall, organized by the All Doyang Farmers’ Association in collaboration with numerous local and national indigenous organizations.

The gathering brought together a wide array of participants, including women’s groups, student organizations, social bodies, and community leaders. Prominent attendees included social worker Nirmal Bora, journalists Pavitra Das and Hiranya Gogoi, Bimala Gogoi, Central President of the Nari Mukti Sangram Samiti, advocate Premadhar Bora, and representatives from AJYCP, TMPK, Adivasi Students’ Union, Asomiya Sahitya Sanmilan, Tai Ahom Students’ Union, Bir Lachit Sena, among others.

Youth representatives vocally asserted: "The right to land is a birthright. We will continue this united struggle until every resident of Doyang receives their rightful patta (land ownership deed)."

Speakers highlighted that despite more than 120 years of continuous settlement, many Doyang families remain without legal land ownership, leaving the community vulnerable and marginalized. They criticized successive governments for failing to honor promises of land rights, and openly condemned local MLA and Minister Ajanta Neog for what they described as an indifferent and unresponsive approach to the matter.

The meeting also adopted a decisive resolution to organize a massive “Gono Abhiborton” (public march) in January, uniting all communities, organizations, and local bodies in Doyang to demand recognition of their ancestral land rights. According to Devajit Bora, president of the All Doyang Farmers’ Association, and secretary Diganta Saikia, preparations for the rally will begin immediately, signaling a renewed chapter in the community’s decades-long agitation.

“This struggle is not just about land; it is about justice, dignity, and the rights of generations who have lived on this land,” Bora emphasized. “If the government fails to act, the people of Doyang are ready to make their voices heard in a massive, united demonstration.”

ALSO READ: Thousands Rally in Gossaigaon Demanding Tribal Recognition and Land Rights