The Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council has announced controversial measures to evict Kuki community members who have sought refuge in the Karbi Anglong district following escalating conflicts in Manipur. This declaration was made by the council’s chief executive member, Tuliram Ronghang, during a recent event promoting the Purthimi Akemang scheme, aimed at distributing land pattas to landless indigenous individuals.
Speaking to the media after a land allotment distribution program in the Japrajan area of the Bokajan assembly constituency, Ronghang outlined the council’s objectives. He revealed that the council has successfully distributed land allotments to over 100,000 individuals and plans to extend this initiative to another 100,000 people in a second phase. This effort seeks to alleviate the challenges faced by landless and impoverished individuals in acquiring land rights independently.
Ronghang emphasized that land allotments would be exclusively available to indigenous residents who have lived in the district since its establishment or have been longstanding permanent residents. He clarified that individuals migrating from outside the district, particularly those from Manipur, would not be granted land rights through this initiative. The council’s recent estimates indicate that approximately 300 to 400 families have relocated to Karbi Anglong from Manipur, prompting concerns about their legal status in the district.
In an effort to manage the situation, Ronghang stated that discussions would be held with various ethnic organizations to facilitate the return of these Kuki families to their home state. His remarks highlight the council’s commitment to protecting the interests of indigenous populations in the region amid growing tensions stemming from the conflict in Manipur.
Participating in the land distribution program, Dr. Nomol Momin, the legislator of Bokajan and the Deputy Speaker of the Assam Legislative Assembly, noted that the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council has also initiated a land distribution program under the Assam government’s Basundhara scheme. He emphasized that this aligns with Clause 6 of the Assam Accord, which mentions granting land rights to local people, and the Autonomous Council is taking steps to fulfill this promise in Karbi Anglong district. During today’s event, land titles were distributed to 15,000 individuals.
