Central Government Plans to Incorporate Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council into Sixth Schedule

A CORRESPONDENT

Boko: Boko regional units of All Rabha Students’ Union (ARSU), Rabha Women Council, Six Schedule Demand Committee jointly organized a village meeting (Gaon Sabha) at Turukpara village in Boko on Tuesday.

The meeting was attended by ARSU vice president Pradeep Rabha, magazine secretary Sanjeev Rabha, RHAC executive member Sumit Rabha, Kamrup district ARSU president Anand Rabha, organizing secretary Ankur K Rabha and vice-president Nomal Rabha. The meeting was presided over by Boko ARSU president Sujit Rabha and general secretary Dibya Rabha.

In the meeting, Kamrup District ARSU vice president Nomal Rabha said that the state government has already submitted a proposal to the central government for inclusion of the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council (RHAC) in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India. The Rabha Hasong Joint Movement Committee (RHJMC) will visit Delhi on October 28 and 29 to demand the inclusion of the RHAC in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India and also hold a national level seminar on this issue.

The ARSU central committee vice-president Pradeep Rabha recalled the struggle and obstacles for the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council. He said 24 people were martyred for the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council and then the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council elections were held and a comprehensive committee was formed with representatives of various ethnic groups.

However, the people of RHAC have to continue their agitation for inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India for the comprehensive development of the Rabha community.

Rabha said that after BJP came to power at the centre and in the state, the people of the area supported BJP for inclusion in the Sixth Schedule but later it was seen that the BJP was trying to dissolve the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council. RHAC area in Kamrup district was dissolved through ASCARDA. The BJP, on the other hand, conspired to include many Rabha-inhabited areas of Goalpara in the state of Kamatapur. Therefore, the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council must continue its agitation for inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India.

Pradip Rabha further added, “Whereas, inclusion in the Sixth Schedule requires political and organizational unity in the coming days. The upcoming panchayat elections, Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council elections and Assembly elections in 2026 are scheduled to be held. Therefore, the government may try to deceive the Rabha people with many government temptations in the coming days, but if all the ethnic groups living in the council areas are united with the Rabha community, then the council base will be strong in Panchayat, Council and Assembly elections and the Council shall be included in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India.

Pradeep Rabha emphasized that recently, there are attempts to mess up the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council. “The state government’s representatives raised questions about which council will the Bodo people living in the RHAC area support? It is worth to be mentioned that during the BTR accord in 2020, a separate council ‘Bodo-Kachari Welfare Development Council’ was given for the Bodo people living outside the BTR area and now they are trying to dissolve the RHAC.

Pradeep Rabha said that the Rabha people living in BTR have been living in peace and harmony with the Boro people. Likewise, the Boro people are also living in peace and harmony in the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council. “So I kindly request not to make conspiracy to dissolve the RHAC and its peace & prosperity. We are people from various communities living together in the RHAC area peacefully.”

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