Dibrugarh: Hundreds of activists from the All Assam Sonowal Kachari Students’ Union (AASKSU) and the All Assam Sonowal Kachari Nari Santha (AASKNS) took to the streets in Dibrugarh on Monday, demanding fresh elections for the Sonowal Kachari Autonomous Council (SKAC) and its inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution. Led by AASKSU president Debananda Chelleng and AASKNS president Rashmirekha Sonowal, protesters marched to the DC’s office and put up a demonstration, raising slogans against the govt’s delay in holding elections. The SKAC’s five-year term expired in Feb 2024, and though it was extended by a year until Feb 2025, no fresh polls have been conducted since. “The govt must hold the SKAC elections immediately to ensure democratic representation. We will not accept any more extensions. State govt cannot keep postponing our democratic rights indefinitely. Our council has been functioning without a fresh mandate for over a year now. This is unacceptable in a democracy. We demand that elections be held immediately without any further delays,” Chelleng said. Protesters also demanded that the SKAC be brought under the Sixth Schedule, which grants greater autonomy to tribal councils. Currently, the SKAC operates as a statutory autonomous council under a state act, with limited powers compared to Sixth Schedule councils like the Bodoland Territorial Council, Dima Hasao Autonomous District Council, and Karbi Anglong Autonomous District Council. These bodies enjoy significantly greater autonomy and financial powers than the six statutory autonomous councils, which include the Sonowal Kachari Autonomous Council, Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council, Mising Autonomous Council, Tiwa Autonomous Council, Deori Autonomous Council, and the Thengal Kachari Autonomous Council.“The Sixth Schedule councils have real power to govern their affairs, manage resources, and protect tribal interests. We want the same level of autonomy and recognition for our community. Why are we being denied this? Our identity, land, and culture need stronger safeguards,” Sonowal said. The Sonowal Kachari community, primarily concentrated in upper Assam districts, including Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Sivasagar, Jorhat, Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, and Golaghat, has been advocating for greater political representation and cultural recognition. The SKAC was established to address these concerns, but community leaders argue that its current statutory status is insufficient to meet their aspirations. According to them, upgrading SKAC to Sixth Schedule status would provide better protection for Sonowal Kachari culture, language, and traditional practices, while ensuring more effective governance of their areas.
