Last Updated on: November 23, 2023

The six decades of India’s independence and governance under Assam Govt. could not protect the Rabhas from exploitation, deprivation from basic human Rights and bring about faster development. Their Rights over their land and forest was snatched away. Large scale land alienation started uprooting the Rabhas along with other tribes form their own homeland.

This led the Rabhas to seek protection under the Indian Constitution and started to demand more Autonomy. The original Autonomy demands of the Rabhas were as follows:

1. Creation of an Autonomous State covering Joyramkuchi G.P in Goalpara District to Rani G.P in Kamrup District.
2. Creation of an Autonomous District Council in Darrang District.
3. Creation of an Autonomous Regional Council within the district of Dhubri, Kokrajhar, Nalbari and Sonitpur.
4. Creation of Rabha Hasong Autonomous Village Councils in the District of Bongaigaon, Barpeta, Dhemaji, Nowgaon, Lakhimpur and Dibrugarh.

A popular Mass Movement was launched focusing on these demands by ARSU-RHDC. In the wake of this Mass Movement, the then Chief Minister of Assam Late Hiteswar Saikia announced on the floor of the Assam Assembly on 16th March,1993 to grant Autonomy to the Rabhas. He reiterated the announcement again on 11 May, 1993 at the open Session of the 8th General Conference of All Rabha Sahitya Sabha (Bebak Rabha Krourang Runchum) held at Dudhnoi of Goalpara District.

In response, the Rabha Organizations set down for serious talks with Assam Government and ultimately singed the MoS (Rabha Accord) with the Govt. of Assam on the 10th March,1995 accepting an Autonomous Council under the State Act. in the name of Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council with some of salient point as

• Villages having 50% or more population of the Rabha people would be included in to the respective councils without having any compact area and definite boundary.
• The Autonomous Council area would be exempted from the purview of the Assam Panchayati Raj Act, 1994 and Assam Municipality Act, 1994 as per sub-clause (A) of clause – 5 of the MoU.
• The power and functions listed in the 11th schedule of the Constitution would be vested with these three Autonomous Councils.

In 1996, a new Govt. led by AGP came to power and the interim nominated bodies were reconstituted. The Assam Govt. appointed a ‘High Power Committee’ headed by Cabinet Minister Shri Thaneswar Boro suggested a suitable amendment into the Council Acts. As per report of the High Power Committee, the MAC Act, RHAC Act and TAC Act were amended providing for inclusion of Tribal Belts & blocks and TSP areas in to Councils in place of villages havening only 50% or more Mising/Rabha/Tiwa people. But no villages were notified as per these amendments.

In 1996, a new Govt. led by AGP came to power and the interim nominated bodies were reconstituted. The Assam Govt. appointed a ‘High Power Committee’ headed by Cabinet Minister Shri Thaneswar Boro suggested a suitable amendment into the Council Acts. As per report of the High Power Committee, the MAC Act, RHAC Act and TAC Act were amended providing for inclusion of Tribal Belts & blocks and TSP areas in to Councils in place of villages havening only 50% or more Mising/Rabha/Tiwa people. But no villages were notified as per these amendments.

The Assam Government showed interest neither to strengthen the council nor to hold the election of Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council to make it a democratic institution by implementing the Rabha Accord. The pathetic failure of the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council compelled to the Rabha people to reject it and demand fresh Autonomy under Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution by All Rabha Students’ Union, All Rabha Women Council and Sixth Schedule Demand Committee and the people of RHAC area.

In 2001, another new Govt. came into power at Dispur, and in the wake of large scale of Mass Movement for inclusion of Mising, Rabha and Tiwa Autonomous Councils into the Sixth Schedule under Indian Constitution, the Govt. constituted a Cabinet Sub-Committee headed by Dr. Bhumidhar Barman to examine the demand for Sixth Schedule of these Autonomous Councils. The Committee could not complete its study, and instead, submitted an interim report recommending certain amendment to these three Autonomous Council Acts to give more power to the Councils and to pave the way for holding democratic elections. On the basis of the Interim Report of the Ministerial Sub-Committee, the Council Acts were further amended in 2005, mainly to define the areas to be covered by Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council and to make the protective and primitive measures of this council to be enjoyable equally by all Scheduled Tribes. The Amendment concretized the concept of core, satellite Area and other area by the following definitions-

• Core Area shall consist of compact and contiguous areas predominately inhabited by Rabha people having 50% or more ST population as whole in the area and not in individual villages.
• Satellite Area or Areas shall consist of non-contiguous cluster of villages predominately inhabited by Rabha people having 50% or more ST population as a whole in the cluster and not necessarily in individual villages.
• In case of RHAC, cabinet Sub-committee recommends inclusion of Garo, Boro and Hajong villages in to the RHAC. The Garos and Hajongs were not enumerated as ST in Census 2001 as they have been enlisted as ST only in 2003. There population has been counted as per report of the Deputy Commissioner.
• There is no necessity of creation of satellite areas as the RHAC will be remain confined to only southern parts of Goalpara and Kamrup district only.
• In the mean time the Ministerial Sub-Committee headed by Dr. Bhumidhar Barman, Former Minister for Health and Family welfare and Higher Education, Assam has already agreed to recommend the proposal for inclusion of Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council into the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution as also holding the election of Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council within the year of 2005. Presently, as many as 779 Rev. Villages with a total population of Six (6) lakhs (approx) has been notified by the Hon’ble Governor of Assam as under the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council (RHAC).
• Also, in the year of 2010, the Cabinet Sub-Committee of Assam recommend the Govt. of Assam to initiate necessary action to take up the matter with the Govt. of India to extend the provisions of 6th Scheduled to the RHAC on the line of the BTC.
• Also, in 2019 the Cabinet of State Govt. of Assam announces in response of the Mass Movement and appeal of the people of Assam to give provision of Constitutional Status to the RHAC.
• It is also mentionworthy that the Hon’ble Chairman of National Commission of Schedule Tribes, Govt. of India Mr. Nand Kumar Sai also suggested the State Govt. to take initiative for forward Recommendation for inclusion of RHAC into the Sixth Schedule of Indian Constitution on his visit of Assam and first visit to RHAC during 2018.