Tribal Bodies Oppose GMDA Land Acquisition in Rabha Hasong Council Area for Guwahati Expansion

ARSU and ABSU demand withdrawal of land acquisition notices, alleging the Guwahati City Extension Project violates the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council Act and threatens tribal land rights in South Kamrup

Two prominent tribal student organisations in Assam have jointly opposed a state government move to acquire land within the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council (RHAC) area for the proposed Guwahati City Extension Project, warning that it would strip indigenous farmers of land rights protected for generations.

ARSU and ABSU’s Joint Press Conference

The Kamrup unit of the All Rabha Students’ Union (ARSU) and the South Kamrup unit of the All Bodo Students’ Union (ABSU) addressed a joint press conference on July 14, where they strongly opposed the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority’s (GMDA) proposal to acquire land within RHAC jurisdiction.

ARSU Kamrup unit president Ananda Rabha and general secretary Ashok Nongbag, along with ABSU South Kamrup unit president Sangswarang Basumatary, alleged that the acquisition plan poses a serious threat to tribal land rights protected under the Tribal Belts and Blocks framework, and that it undermines the statutory authority of the autonomous council.

The Core Allegation: 779 Villages Without Council Consent

According to the two organisations, the state government’s decision to bring 779 revenue villages under GMDA’s administrative jurisdiction was taken without obtaining consent from the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council. They characterised this as a deliberate attempt to weaken the council’s statutory authority over its own territory.

The 779-village figure corresponds to RHAC’s full notified jurisdiction across Kamrup and Goalpara districts under a 2005 state notification (TAD/BC/135/2005/10), which had expanded the council’s original area. ARSU and ABSU argue that folding these villages into GMDA’s planning ambit — even partially, for the extension project — would gradually erode protections that Raiti farmers have held under existing land laws for generations.

Note: The Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council itself was constituted under the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council Act, 1995, following the Rabha Accord signed in March that year. The 2005 notification is what defined the council’s 779-village jurisdiction — this distinction matters for anyone tracking the legal basis of the current dispute.

A Longer History of Resistance Since 2009

ARSU and ABSU said their opposition to RHAC villages being brought under GMDA is not new — the two bodies claim they have consistently resisted such moves since 2009. They argue that repeated attempts at inclusion, even when framed as urban planning or infrastructure expansion, have the cumulative effect of eroding the Tribal Belts and Blocks system that protects indigenous land ownership in the region.

This is also not an isolated protest. Similar opposition has emerged in recent months from other tribal bodies over related projects in the same broader RHAC belt around Guwahati — including proposed Aero City, satellite township, and dam projects in the Azara-Palasbari area — suggesting a wider pattern of friction between Guwahati’s urban expansion plans and tribal land protections in South Kamrup.

What ARSU and ABSU Are Demanding

The two organisations placed three specific demands before the state government:

1. Immediate withdrawal of all land acquisition notices issued for the Guwahati City Extension Project within RHAC areas
2. No inclusion of RHAC villages under GMDA jurisdiction without the council’s explicit consent
3. Stronger legal safeguards for tribal land rights going forward, particularly for Raiti farmers within Tribal Belts and Blocks

Where the Guwahati Satellite City Development Authority Bill Fits In

The ARSU-ABSU leadership also referenced the Guwahati Satellite City Development Authority Bill, 2026, insisting that any development activity within the proposed State Capital Region must:

• Strictly comply with existing tribal land laws
• Obtain prior consent from relevant autonomous councils before acquisition
• Follow the Assam Land and Revenue Regulation, 1886, to keep the planning process lawful and transparent

This links the current dispute to a larger, ongoing debate in Assam over how the state’s satellite-city and urban expansion push around Guwahati intersects with constitutionally and statutorily protected tribal land.

Quick Reference: The Dispute at a Glance

Why This Matters for South Kamrup and Goalpara

For residents within RHAC’s jurisdiction, the dispute isn’t abstract policy — it goes directly to land ownership and livelihood. Raiti farmers in the affected belt hold land rights that predate the council itself, rooted in Assam’s revenue and tenancy laws. Tribal Belts and Blocks were specifically designed to prevent land alienation from indigenous communities, and ARSU-ABSU’s central argument is that administrative reclassification under GMDA — even without formal “acquisition” in every village — creates a pathway around those protections.

The state government has pushed Guwahati’s satellite-city and metropolitan expansion plans as necessary for the city’s long-term infrastructure needs. That creates a direct tension: urban planners see RHAC-adjacent land as logically contiguous for expansion, while tribal bodies see the same land as constitutionally and statutorily protected territory that cannot be absorbed without their consent.

FAQ

Q1.What is the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council (RHAC)?

RHAC is a statutory autonomous council in Assam, established for the Rabha and other indigenous communities of Kamrup and Goalpara districts, with jurisdiction currently covering 779 revenue villages.

Q2.What are ARSU and ABSU demanding?

Withdrawal of all land acquisition notices for the Guwahati City Extension Project in RHAC areas, no inclusion of RHAC villages under GMDA without council consent, and stronger legal safeguards for tribal land rights.

Q3.What law do the protesting groups say is being violated?

They cite the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council’s statutory framework and argue that acquisition without council consent also runs against protections under the Tribal Belts and Blocks system and the Assam Land and Revenue Regulation, 1886.

Q4.Since when have these groups opposed GMDA’s inclusion of RHAC villages?

ARSU and ABSU say their opposition dates back to 2009.

Q5.How does the Guwahati Satellite City Development Authority Bill, 2026 relate to this dispute?

The Bill governs planning for Guwahati’s proposed State Capital Region expansion. ARSU-ABSU argue any development under it must still follow existing tribal land law and require prior council consent.

This report is based on statements made by ARSU and ABSU representatives at a press conference on July 14, 2026. FinBuzz India will update this article as GMDA or the state government responds.

sanjoy gorh

Sanjoy Gorh – Founder & Editor, FinBuzz India
Sanjoy Gorh is the founder and editor of FinBuzz India (finbuzzindia.com), an independent digital news platform delivering accurate, clear, and timely news to readers across Assam, Northeast India, and beyond.
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