The Karbi Anglong Mishap: Gopinath Bordoloi, 6th Schedule and the Land Conflict

Just two days back (20th December), Indian PM Narendra Modi inaugurated a new terminal of the airport in Guwahati, named after Gopinath Bordoloi, the stalwart of the freedom struggle at the northeastern frontier. Just a day later, the Adani group appeared, thanking the PM and Assam Govt. for making this happen, as the LGBI (Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International) airport would be operated by Adani Airport Holdings Limited. In common verses, it is the ‘Adani Airport’. 

Just a day after PM Modi departed from Assam, a fortnight-long hunger strike in Karbi Anglong took the shape of a mishap—protesters today (22nd December) set ablaze the residence of KAAC (Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council) CEM (Chief Executive Member) Tuliram Ronghang at Dongkamukam. But, how is the mishap in Karbi Anglong related to Gopinath Bordoloi? Well, it has a profound link.

Let’s Recall the Bordoloi Committee

Gopinath Bordoloi chaired a sub-committee of the Constituent Assembly of India in 1947 that framed the 6th Schedule of the Indian Constitution, which enshrines the provision of self-governance for the indigenous tribal communities of the states of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram. The self-governance is delivered by means of an elected Autonomous Council. 

Karbi Anglong comes under the 6th schedule protection under the autonomous council KAAC, which mandates that the unique culture and tradition of the tribals, as well as lands and resources of the region, are safeguarded from exploitation. The KAAC is elected to protect this mandate, which emanated from the Borodoloi Committee under the leadership of Gopinath Bordoloi. 

The Immediate Chronology Of The Mishap

Last night, police detained 9 protesters who had been in indefinite hunger strike for the past 16 days at Felangpi of the Kheroni area, which included Litsong Rongfar, who was one of the prominent faces of the ongoing hunger strike. Notably, the KAAC chief intimated a meeting with the protesters and as per sources, it was scheduled today (22nd December) at 4 PM. But the police detained them for nearly 12 hours before (around 3 AM).

The hunger strike was in demand of evicting the illegal settlers in the VGR (Village Grazing Reserve)s and PGR (professional Grazing Reserve)s in and around Kheroni.  The protesters were demanding strengthened safeguards of the indigenous Karbi people in the hills district, which comes under the 6th schedule. The protesters were alleging that vast swathes of land in Karbi Hills have been occupied by outsiders--people who are from outside Assam and, in particular, who are not Karbis.

As the news of the detention of the protesters spread, villagers and supporters of the movement grew angry, and they gathered at the site of the hunger strike this morning. As the numbers grew, the situation became tense. The protesters also blocked the road and reportedly vandalised cars and shops. 

Pratidin Time reporter from Kheroni said that the protestors moved to Dongkamukam, which is  26 kilometres away from Kheroni. Dongkamukam is also the constituency of KAAC from which Tuliram Ronghang won. The police resorted to blank firing to control the situation, which sparked further anger among the protesters. A section of them rushed towards the residence of CEM Tuliram Ronghang and set his house on fire. 

Can’t Evict 11k Bighas of Kheroni, but Can Give 150k Bighas to Corporate, Including Adani

Jones Ingti Kathar, the president of APHLC (All Party Hills Leaders Conference) told us that the land under encroachment in the 6th schedule district will amount to 11 thousand bighas.

“On the other hand, about 1 lakh 50 thousand bighas of land in Karbi Anglong are already handed over to big corporate including Adani, Ramdev and Godrej. How is this possible in a 6th schedule area?”—he questioned while appealing that peace be prevailed and a democratic, non-violent movement be adopted. 

“The untoward incident happened due to the failure of the KAAC, and the council should be dissolved, and fresh elections should be conducted”—Mr. Kathar commented. 

He further alleged that Turiam Ronghang is like  henpecked by Assam’s CM Himanta Biswa Sarma. “The council doesn’t appear to be autonomous anymore. The CM orders Tuliram Ronghang to provide land to Adani and others. What authority does he have to do so in a 6th schedule area?”—Kathar remarked.

The Deeper Roots

The demand for eviction from PGRs & VGRs has been ongoing for over a decade now. However, things took a different turn since last year, which led the entire issue to a more intense one.

RNSS (Rachnatmak Nonia Sanyukta Sangh), an organisation representing the Nonia community (originally from Bihar) sublitted a memorandum to the President of India during her visit to Shillong last year (2024), demanding that land Patta (permanent land ownership) be given to them at Kheroni.

“This sparked widespread concerns in the entire Karbi Anglong, and as a natural outcome, protests emerged led by KSA (Karbi Students Association) and ASDC (Autonomous State Demand Committee) youth front”—former cabinet minister of Assam and a founding leader of the ASDC, Holiram Terang, told us. 

“It’s not easy to meet the president. Then how come RNSS met the president and submitted a memorandum? This is a concerning question. Moreover, the land of the 6th schedule area belongs to the council. Then why the memorandum submitted to the president?”—Mr. Terang questioned. 

Moreover, what added fuel to the ire of the Karbis is the incident that occurred in February 2024, where members of KSA and ASDCY were attacked by Hindi-speaking people at Kheroni Chariali while they were returning from a protest. 

“This was a defining turn that would create further division between Karbis and the Hindia and Bengali speaking people”—Terang observes. 

However, police arrested 18 Hindi-speaking people allegedly involved in attacking the KSA and ASDCY protesters. Seeing the gravity of the issue, Tuliram Ronghang called an all-party meeting this year, where he assured that the eviction would be done. However, an appeal in the High Court, by some from the Hindi-speaking communities, has put some restriction on the matter, and Tuliram Ronghang declared that eviction can’t be done as the matter is now sub-judiced. 

CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, after the mishap, reiterated Ronghang’s point, referring to the fact that the matter is in the court. Holiram Terang questioned—“Where is the court order or judgment? In the white paper of the council, they have only referred, but to my knowledge, the court order has not yet been made public.”

What Can Be Drawn?

Connecting the dots, it may be perceived as a reflection of decades-long systemic failure of safeguarding the constitutional provisions meant for the indigenous people of Assam and the other Northeastern states, within the ambit of the 6th schedule. 

Carving a way to further strengthen the ethos of the 6th Schedule would be the finest way of remembering and tributing Bharat Ratna Gopinath Bordoloi, not by organising some extravagant shows naming him.

Also Read: Breaking: Curfew In West Karbi Anglong! Section 163 of BNSS Imposed