Diphu: Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Gaurav Gogoi has leveled a serious allegation against the BJP government led by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, stating that it is remotely controlling the constitutional powers granted to autonomous councils like BTR, Dima Hasao, and Karbi Anglong under the Sixth Schedule from Dispur.
Gogoi made these remarks during a press conference in Diphu on Saturday.
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APCC president Gogoi asserted that those entrusted with protecting the spirit of the Sixth Schedule have instead undermined it.
He emphasized that despite the Sixth Schedule’s aim to ensure administrative and financial autonomy for these regions, all real control now resides with Dispur.
“The Sixth Schedule was intended to empower various communities with self-governance. The people of these regions should have the authority to make decisions regarding their own development. The fundamental principle is decentralization of power. Authority should not be confined to Delhi or Dispur; it must extend to Diphu, BTR, and Dima Hasao,” Gogoi stated.
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He further stressed the Congress party’s consistent respect for decentralization. “Today, local councils are disempowered. The Chief Minister is making all decisions unilaterally. The future of the tribal people is now dictated by remote-controlled directives,” Gogoi claimed, highlighting the Congress’s history of empowering local leadership.
“Congress understands that a single ideology cannot dominate our entire country, nor can it dominate Assam. We must decentralize power. Every group possesses its own aspirations. Everyone desires to strengthen themselves economically, socially, and politically. However, today, Himanta Biswa Sarma’s government has attacked the very essence of the Sixth Schedule,” he added.
Gogoi, who is also the Deputy Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, recalled that during the tenure of late Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, numerous development and autonomous councils were established for communities such as the Thengal Kachari and Rabha, based on the opinions of local leaders and the public.
“Tarun Gogoi prioritized decentralization, even at the cost of political expediency. He empowered local BTR leaders and made decisions in Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao after consulting with senior leaders and various organizations. Today, however, the situation is reversed. Power no longer rests with the councils but lies solely in the hands of Himanta Biswa Sarma,” Gogoi alleged.
He further criticized current council leaders, stating they have become weak and failed to safeguard their communities’ rights. “We desire strong and capable council leaders. Even if they adhere to a different ideology, they must advocate for their people and region. Yet, all council leaders now appear to blindly follow Himanta Biswa Sarma’s directives,” he observed.
Gogoi also accused the Chief Minister of arbitrary distribution of land and public resources. “How can the Chief Minister distribute council land and public property according to his own wishes? Local leaders have been rendered powerless and lack the courage to protest,” he asserted.
“This is not merely a political issue; it is about protecting the constitutional rights of our indigenous brothers and sisters. The current erosion of these rights signals a dangerous trend,” Gogoi warned.
He added that the state’s tribal self-governance structure faces a serious threat. Indicating a more assertive stance, he announced that the Congress party would intensify its protests against such interference by the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led government.