Guwahati: The Assam government is exploring alternative provisions of the Constitution of India, such as the Fifth Schedule, to safeguard the identities of three indigenous communities: the Rabha, Mising, and Tiwa.
The communities have been demanding the Sixth Schedule status to protect their culture and identity.
On August 24, 2021, then Assam Governor Jagdish Mukhi formed a cabinet sub-committee, led by state minister Ranoj Pegu, to examine the issue of granting Sixth Schedule status to the Autonomous Council areas of the Rabha, Mising, and Tiwa communities.
The committee was tasked with recommending policies for demarcating the boundaries of these autonomous councils.
Atul Bora and Ranjeet Kumar Dass are the other two members of the committee.
“The committee is now looking for an alternative option of the Sixth Schedule to fulfil the hopes and aspirations of the three communities,” said Tribal Affairs Minister Ranoj Pegu in response to a notice from BPF MLA Durga Das Boro on the last day of the Budget Session of the State Assembly on Thursday.
“The committee will submit its report within two months. We are planning to grant an alternative option of the Sixth Schedule to all three communities,” the minister added.
In 1995, the state government granted Autonomous Councils for Rabha, Mising, and Tiwas under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India.
“In these Autonomous Councils, there are two areas- one core area with a 50 per cent Schedule Tribe population and another satellite area with a 50 per cent ST population,” Pegu explained.
“While the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council has no satellite area, the Mising Autonomous Council and Tiwa Autonomous Council have both core and satellite areas,” Pegu clarified.
He also mentioned that Rabha Hasong organizations have been demanding a separate Autonomous Council for the Rabhas living outside their core areas.
“While the Mising Autonomous Council and Tiwa Autonomous Council do not have compact and contagious ST populated areas, the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council has compact and contagious areas of ST population for which it can deserve Sixth Schedule status,” Pegu further explained.
Earlier, BPF member Durga Das Boro had raised a question about the state government’s efforts to grant Sixth Schedule status to the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council.
Boro highlighted the agitational program initiated by the All Rabha Students Union (ARSU) and several other Rabha organizations, demanding Sixth Schedule status for the RHAC areas.
The jurisdiction of this council extends up to the Rani area of Kamrup district and encompasses almost the entire district of Goalpara.
“Sixth Schedule status is one of our long-standing demands. We want it to protect our land from influx from Bangladesh,” Boro emphasized.
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Boro mentioned that initially, 306 villages were included in the council, but currently, there are 779 villages under the council. Apart from Rabhas, the Bodo, Garo, Hajong, Nath, Koch, Gorha, Sutradhar, Koch Rajbongshi, Adivasi, and Kalita communities also reside in the council area.
Welcoming the decision, the All Rabha Students Union (ARSU) General Secretary Pradeep Rabha said, “It is a commendable step. If the government grants an alternative model of the Sixth Schedule, where we can enjoy the rights and privileges of the Sixth Schedule, we will extend our cooperation with the government.”
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