Assam: Matak & Moran student bodies announce agitation for autonomy

Guwahati: Unveiling the serial movement for ST Status and autonomy, All  Moran Students Union (AMSU) on Tuesday held a rally at Talap in Tinsukia amid tight security deployment.

And with this rally, Assam’s long-standing ethnic assertion politics is set to intensify this month as two powerful student organisations, the All Assam Matak Yuba-Chatra Sanmilon and the Sadou Moran Chatra Sanmilan, have launched parallel agitations demanding autonomy and greater protection for their respective indigenous communities.

The All Assam Matak Yuba-Chatra Sanmilon’s Tinsukia district unit announced a series of protest activities beginning September 5, focusing on the eviction of settlers from historical sites in the Tinisukia region.

The body has also called for the preservation and restoration of ethnic heritage locations, asserting that their demand for “self-rule and recognition” cannot be ignored.

The organisation plans to hold a 72-hour dharna from September 5 to 7 at Tinsukia’s Bazar Chariali, culminating in a mass programme on September 8.

Meanwhile, the Sadou Moran Chatra Sanmilan, representing the Moran ethnic community, launched a “torch procession agitation” in collaboration with its central and regional affiliates.

The demonstrations staged across key towns Talap today would be followed by Kakopathar (Septemer 4), Margherita (September 6), and Tinsukia (September 10).

The core demand centres around granting constitutional safeguards and self-administration to the Moran people under India’s Sixth Schedule or a similar framework.

Both groups have linked their movements to the larger question of ethnic identity, political representation, and control over resources in Upper Assam.

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Leaders have argued that their historical contributions and unique cultural heritage entitle them to greater political space, particularly as debates on tribal recognition and autonomy continue to dominate Assam’s socio-political discourse.

Observers note that these developments underline the growing momentum among smaller indigenous groups in the state to press for distinct recognition and self-rule, adding yet another layer to Assam’s complex matrix of ethnicity, land rights, and political autonomy.

With protests scheduled across multiple districts, the coming weeks are likely to witness heightened mobilisation and political friction in Upper Assam.