Hundreds of students carrying flaming torches poured into the streets of western Assam this week, demanding Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for the Koch-Rajbongshi community and allied groups.

What began as a peaceful march quickly spiralled into confrontation when police intervened, triggering clashes, injuries, and a district-wide shutdown that has reignited debate over one of Assam’s longest-simmering identity battles.

The All Koch-Rajbongshi Students’ Union (AKRSU) had organized September 11 march from Chilarai College to Golakganj Bazaar, pressing not only for constitutional recognition but also for a separate “Kamatapur” state.

Midway, security forces blocked the procession. Protesters allege police launched a lathi-charge without provocation, leaving several, including women, injured.

By Thursday, Dhubri district was paralysed by a 12-hour bandh. Markets shuttered, roads were barricaded, and security tightened in the sensitive border region adjoining Bangladesh.

Decades-old demand back in spotlight

The Koch-Rajbongshis are among six Assamese communities — including Tai-Ahom, Chutia, Matak, Moran, and Tea Tribes — that have sought ST status for decades. For them, recognition is a shield for land rights, cultural identity, and socio-economic survival.

Parallel movements have intensified elsewhere in Assam, with the Moran Students’ Union recently mobilising thousands in Margherita to demand both ST status and autonomy under the Sixth Schedule.

Govt promises probe, opposition sharpens attack

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma called the Dhubri clash “unfortunate” and ordered an inquiry. The Golakganj police station chief was suspended, while another officer was withdrawn. A probe led by the Deputy Inspector General has been tasked with reporting within five days.

Jayanta Malla Baruah, state minister sent by Sarma to meet injured students, insisted the incident was a “misunderstanding” and pledged accountability. “No one has suffered serious injuries, but those responsible will face strict action,” Sarma assured.

But opposition leaders accused the BJP-led government of betraying indigenous communities. Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi denounced the “brutal assault on students” and demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi deliver on the BJP’s long-promised ST recognition. Assam Jatiya Parishad chief Lurinjyoti Gogoi alleged state indifference to “the plight of tribal and indigenous groups.”

Political stakes rising

With the government promising to table a report on ST status during the November assembly session, observers warn the issue is reaching a breaking point. Unless meaningful dialogue begins soon, student unions have signalled further unrest — raising the risk of a larger confrontation between Assamese identity movements and state power.

For many in Assam’s heartland, the torchlit march was more than a protest — it was a fiery reminder of demands left unanswered for generations.