Administration Warns Leaders Ahead of Massive Matak Rally in Tinsukia

On the eve of a massive protest by the Matak community, the Tinsukia district administration has issued notices to community leaders, warning them against holding demonstrations. The move comes as nearly 50,000 members of the Matak community are set to take to the streets on Friday in a “joar somdol” (mass rally) demanding Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Defying administrative pressure, the Matak organisations have already mobilized villagers across Tinsukia, with bamboo structures and protest materials being prepared for the rally. According to organisers, the protest is expected to bring the town to a standstill, with thousands joining from adjoining areas.

The agitation comes against the backdrop of the Moran Students’ Union’s indefinite economic blockade, which since September 15 has paralysed Tinsukia by disrupting oil exploration, coal and timber transportation, and stranding trucks and freight trains. The Matak community’s entry into the movement has further intensified pressure on the government, which they accuse of betraying its decade-old promise of granting ST status to six indigenous communities.

Community leaders have also linked their demand with calls for Sixth Schedule autonomy, signalling a larger political mobilisation. “We have been deceived for too long. This time, the Matak community will not back down without ST recognition,” villagers declared, while women too have pledged active participation in the protest.

With Thursday’s rally projected to draw nearly 50,000 participants, the district authorities (both administration and police) fear the possibility of a complete shutdown across Tinsukia.

Meanwhile, the security has been tightened, and the administration is on high alert as the volatile situation unfolds.

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