{"id":79536,"date":"2025-12-25T12:39:20","date_gmt":"2025-12-25T07:09:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=79536"},"modified":"2025-12-25T18:29:38","modified_gmt":"2025-12-25T12:59:38","slug":"karbi-anglong-violence-land-rights-sixth-schedule-autonomy-and-ethnic-tensions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/karbi-anglong-violence-land-rights-sixth-schedule-autonomy-and-ethnic-tensions\/","title":{"rendered":"Karbi Anglong Violence &#8211; Land Rights, Sixth Schedule Autonomy and Ethnic Tensions"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Karbi Anglong Violence Latest News<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fresh violence erupted in West Karbi Anglong district of <\/span><b>Assam<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, leading to two deaths, multiple injuries, arson of shops and markets, suspension of mobile internet services, and imposition of prohibitory orders.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The unrest is rooted in <\/span><b>long-standing disputes <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">over land rights, particularly encroachment on grazing reserve lands under the jurisdiction of the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (<\/span><b>KAAC<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Immediate Trigger of the Violence<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Hunger strike over grazing lands:<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For over two weeks, nine Karbi protesters were on a fast unto death at Phelangpi in West Karbi Anglong.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Their demand &#8211; eviction of alleged encroachers from PGR (Professional Grazing Reserve) lands and VGR (Village Grazing Reserve) lands.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These lands are traditionally reserved for livestock grazing, dating back to British colonial land policies, and are crucial for<\/span><b> tribal livelihoods<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Perception of arrest: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When protesters were shifted to Guwahati for medical reasons, locals believed they were arrested, triggering stone-pelting, arson, and escalation into widespread violence.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Background of the Karbi Anglong Dispute<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Sixth Schedule and autonomous governance:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Karbi Anglong and West Karbi Anglong are tribal-majority hill districts governed under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The KAAC enjoys powers over land, forest management, and local governance, aimed at <\/span><b>protecting tribal identity<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and resources.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>History of insurgency:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Since the late 1980s, Karbi insurgent groups have operated in the region.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The original demand was for a separate Karbi state, which later moderated to greater autonomy under KAAC.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The legacy of insurgency has deepened <\/span><b>hostility <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">towards \u2018<\/span><b>outsiders<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2019.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>The Land Question &#8211; PGR and VGR<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Encroachment vs settlement claims:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Karbi tribal bodies allege large-scale illegal settlement on grazing lands.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Settlers (Biharis, Bengalis, Nepalis) claim residence for decades, seeking regularisation.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>For example<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, KAAC identified 1,983 families encroaching in Hawaipur mouza, and reported 103 families encroaching in Phuloni circle.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Political flashpoint:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Protests intensified after a Bihari Nonia community organisation submitted a memorandum to the President of India, demanding legalisation of settlers.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Karbi groups viewed this as a threat to Sixth Schedule protections.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Legal Constraints on Evictions<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">KAAC issued 15-day eviction notices. However, evictions were stalled due to a PIL pending in the Gauhati High Court.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Authorities cited risk of contempt of court if evictions proceeded during judicial consideration.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Challenges and Way Ahead<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Conflict between customary rights and settlers\u2019 claims<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Transparent rehabilitation or relocation policy for long-settled non-tribal populations.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Weak enforcement of Sixth Schedule<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Legal clarity on status and protection of PGR and VGR lands. Strengthening KAAC capacity for land governance and conflict resolution.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Judicial delays<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Time-bound judicial resolution of PILs related to land disputes.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Mistrust between administration and local communities<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Dialogue-based approach involving tribal bodies, settlers, and state authorities.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Risk of ethnic polarisation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Early warning and community policing mechanisms to prevent escalation.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Conclusion<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Karbi Anglong violence underscores the <\/span><b>fragile balance<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> between tribal autonomy, land rights, and demographic pressures in Sixth Schedule areas.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Without institutional clarity, sensitive governance, and inclusive conflict resolution, such disputes risk recurring,<\/span><b> threatening social cohesion<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, constitutional safeguards, and internal security in Northeast India.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Addressing land issues through rule of law and participatory governance is essential for lasting peace.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Source: <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/explained\/assam-karbi-anglong-violence-trigger-background-10436264\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><b>IE<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The recent violence in Karbi Anglong is rooted in long-standing disputes over land rights, particularly encroachment on grazing reserve lands under the jurisdiction of the KAAC.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":79641,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[60,22,59],"class_list":{"0":"post-79536","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-upsc-mains-current-affairs","8":"tag-mains-articles","9":"tag-upsc-current-affairs","10":"tag-upsc-mains-current-affairs","11":"no-featured-image-padding"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/79536","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=79536"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/79536\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/79641"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=79536"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=79536"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=79536"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}