AJP opposes Assam land policy amendments, cites threat to indigenous land rights
The party demands clear identification of law sections to be amended and an extended consultation period

AJP meeting on Sunday in Guwahati
Guwahati, Jun 4: The Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP), on Wednesday, voiced strong opposition to the proposed amendments to Assam’s 139-year-old land and revenue laws, warning that the changes could dilute the land rights of indigenous communities across the state.
Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters on Zoo Road, AJP vice-president and former Assam Chief Secretary Chandra Kanta Das criticised the state government for constituting a Land Administration Commission to draft new land policies without adequate public consultation.
To formally register its protest, the party also submitted a memorandum to the Chairman of the Land Administration Commission, urging a comprehensive review of the proposed amendments “in the interest of Assam’s indigenous communities”.
Das alleged that the government had attempted to bypass public scrutiny by quietly publishing a public notice on May 9 in an obscure section of a newspaper, thereby limiting citizens’ participation in the process.
A key concern raised by the AJP is that the proposed amendments could remove legal protections against the sale and purchase of land in tribal belts and block areas—protections designed to safeguard land ownership among marginalised communities.
“Outsiders are already acquiring land in these protected areas under tribal names. Once these belts are abolished, the land mutation process will begin, and indigenous people will lose their rights over their ancestral lands,” Das warned.
The party has demanded that the government clearly specify which sections of the existing laws are to be amended and extend the consultation period from the current one month to at least three months to allow for proper review and public input.
“Assam is already facing a land crisis. We must ask ourselves what should be our priority—bringing in industries that take up large swathes of land, or protecting the livelihoods of our people?” he said.
The AJP further stressed that any draft bill should be shaped by broad consensus and must reflect the collective will of the people.
Shifting focus to the proposed semiconductor testing and assembling plant at Jagiroad, Das criticised the project for being limited in scope and questioned its relevance to Assam’s development needs.
He pointed out that while the Jagiroad unit would only handle testing, assembling, and packaging, the actual chip manufacturing unit is being set up in Gujarat.
Das argued that instead of pushing for land-intensive industrial projects, the government should focus on strengthening the agricultural sector, which he believes offers a more sustainable development model for Assam.
“If we invest in value-added agriculture—like processing mustard or potatoes—it can drive real local development. Industries should come only after securing the rights and livelihoods of our people. Land must not be taken from them forcibly,” he added.