Karbi Anglong Unrest and Sixth Schedule Tensions

Why in News ?

Fresh violence erupted in West Karbi Anglong district of Assam, resulting in two deaths, multiple injuries, arson of shops and markets, suspension of mobile internet services, and imposition of prohibitory orders.
The violence is rooted in long-standing land disputes, particularly over alleged encroachments on Professional Grazing Reserve (PGR) and Village Grazing Reserve (VGR) lands under the jurisdiction of the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC).

Background & Context

Karbi Anglong and West Karbi Anglong are tribal-majority hill districts governed under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, which provides autonomous councils to safeguard tribal identity, land, and customary practices.

Over decades, demographic pressures, migration, and weak land governance have created friction between indigenous Karbi tribes and non-tribal settlers, particularly over land reserved for traditional livelihoods.
The issue has periodically erupted into unrest, reflecting the structural challenges of balancing tribal autonomy with constitutional rights of settlers.

Immediate Trigger of the Violence

Hunger Strike Over Grazing Lands

• For over two weeks, nine Karbi protesters were on a fast unto death at Phelangpi in West Karbi Anglong.
• Demand:
  • Eviction of alleged encroachers from PGR and VGR lands.
• Grazing reserves:
  • Date back to colonial land policies.
  • Are critical for livestock-based tribal livelihoods.

Perception of Arrest

• Protesters were shifted to Guwahati for medical treatment.
• Locals believed they had been arrested, triggering:
  • Stone-pelting
  • Arson
  • Escalation into widespread ethnic violence

Sixth Schedule and Karbi Anglong Governance

• The Sixth Schedule provides autonomous governance to tribal areas in Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Tripura.
• Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) has powers over:
  • Land management
  • Forests (excluding reserved forests)
  • Local governance and customary laws
• Objective:
  • Protection of tribal land rights
  • Preservation of ethnic identity and culture

History of Insurgency in Karbi Anglong

• Since the late 1980s, Karbi insurgent groups have operated in the region.
• Initial demand:
  • A separate Karbi state
• Later moderated to:
  • Greater autonomy and empowerment of KAAC
• Legacy of insurgency has:
  • Deepened suspicion of “outsiders”
  • Reinforced ethnic mobilisation around land and identity

The Land Question: PGR and VGR Lands

Encroachment vs Settlement Claims

• Karbi tribal bodies allege large-scale illegal settlements on grazing reserve lands.
• Settlers (including Biharis, Bengalis, Nepalis) claim:
  • Residence for several decades
  • Demand regularisation of land rights

Official Data

• KAAC identified:
  • 1,983 encroaching families in Hawaipur mouza
  • 103 families in Phuloni circle

Political Flashpoint

• Protests intensified after a Bihari Nonia community organisation submitted a memorandum to the President of India, seeking:
  • Legalisation of settlers on grazing lands
• Karbi groups perceived this as:
  • A dilution of Sixth Schedule protections
  • A threat to tribal land security

Legal Constraints on Evictions

• KAAC issued 15-day eviction notices to alleged encroachers.
• Eviction drive stalled due to:
  • A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) pending before the Gauhati High Court
• Authorities cited:
  • Risk of contempt of court if evictions proceeded during judicial consideration

Challenges and Way Ahead

Key Challenges

• Conflict between:
  • Customary tribal land rights
  • Settlers’ claims of long-term residence
  • Weak enforcement and legal ambiguity under the Sixth Schedule
  • Judicial delays in land-related disputes
• Deep mistrust between:
  • Local communities
  • Autonomous councils
  • State administration
  • Risk of ethnic polarisation and spillover violence

Way Forward

• Transparent rehabilitation or relocation policy for long-settled non-tribal populations
• Legal clarity on:
  • Status and protection of PGR and VGR lands
• Strengthening:
  • Institutional capacity of KAAC
  • Conflict resolution mechanisms
  • Time-bound judicial resolution of PILs involving land disputes
• Dialogue-based approach involving:
  • Tribal bodies
  • Settler representatives
  • State authorities
• Deployment of:
  • Early warning systems
  • Community policing to prevent escalation