Assam: Kalita community protests in Nalbari demanding Scheduled Tribe status

Guwahati: Hundreds of Kalita community members protested in Assam's Nalbari on Sunday, October 26, demanding recognition as a Scheduled Tribe and inclusion under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.

The demonstration, organized by the Kalita Janagosthi Sanmilan, started from the Government Higher Secondary School playground and moved through the streets of Nalbari.

Protesters carried banners and placards with slogans such as “Land for Kalitas, Justice for Kalitas” and “Education is Our Right.” Students, community leaders, and social activists joined the rally, highlighting long-standing concerns over land rights, access to education, and constitutional protections.

Sanmilan leaders said the protest is focused on securing legal and constitutional rights, not political gains, and warned the agitation could spread statewide if the government does not respond.

The protest follows a memorandum submitted to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on October 25, seeking Scheduled Tribe recognition.

The memorandum cited past efforts, including appeals to the President in 1988, submissions to the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs and Ministry of Home Affairs in 2015, and meetings with senior officials like Rajnath Singh in 2016.

According to the Sanmilan, the Assam government has yet to form the expert committee tasked with reviewing these submissions.

They urged the Chief Minister to set up the committee without delay, examine the documents, pass a unanimous resolution in the Assam Legislative Assembly, and forward it to the Central Government for approval.

The group emphasized that immediate action is needed to protect the Kalita community’s legal, educational, and land rights.