"Indigenous Communities Unite to Join Kamatapur Autonomous Council, Prioritizing Land Rights": Minister Pijush Hazarika

Bongaigaon: In a historic move, various indigenous communities have come together to join the Kamatapur Autonomous Council (KAC), prioritizing their land rights. State Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Water Resources & Information, and Public Relations, Pijush Hazarika, welcomed the decision, stating that it aligns with Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma’s vision of empowering indigenous communities.

The development follows a meeting between Minister Hazarika, stakeholders, and community organizations to demarcate the Kamatapur Autonomous Council’s boundary. Koch Rajbongshi organizations had earlier requested reconsideration of the 50% population threshold for village inclusion.

After discussions, 26 Kamtapur organizations agreed to allow people from other communities to join the KAC, ensuring the safety of indigenous people. Minister Hazarika praised the unity and cooperation displayed by the communities, emphasizing the government’s commitment to protecting land rights, culture, and traditions.

Hazarika, who is also the minister for social justice and empowerment, arrived in Bongaigaon on Saturday to hold talks with representatives of all these organizations. Referring to the meeting, Minister Hazarika said that generally, if the Government of Assam or the Government of India gives autonomy to a community, then people from other communities do not want to enter that area. But the atmosphere in Lower Assam is completely different because the indigenous communities are united here. In the meeting, everyone was of the opinion that if the land rights of indigenous communities were secured and protected, they would have no objection to joining the Kamtapur Autonomous Council.

“After being in charge of this department for the last two years, I was pleasantly surprised that organizations of other communities want to join the Kamtapur Autonomous Council,” Minister Hazarika said, and lauded the decision of people from other communities to unite in the interest of the land rights of the indigenous communities.

Pijush Hazarika urged the people of Assam to take as an example the harmony shown by the people of Lower Assam. He added that the aim of Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma’s government is that indigenous people should remain strong, that they should have rights to their land, and that their culture should be protected. The minister expressed happiness at the cooperation extended by the people in this regard.

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