Last year when the protest against the Citizenship(Amendment) Act had reached its zenith in Assam, the then AASU general secretary, Lurinjyoti Gogoi, in a gathering announced that prevailing situation was conducive for forming a new regional political party that could fulfil the hopes and aspirations of the indigenous people of the state. This year's summer the people of Assam witnessed two new influential political parties, floated separately by some pressure groups namely the All Assam Students' Union(AASU) and the Asom Jatiyatavadi Yuva Chatra Parishad(AJYCP), and the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samity(KMSS) and its allied non-political organizations.
The AASU and the AJYCP have jointly formed the political party known as the Asom Jatiya Parishad(AJP). The Raijor Dal is the other new political party floated by the KMSS and its allied organizations. However, their well-wishers that include some Assamese intellectuals are apprehensive that no party could unseat the BJP-led front from the power in Assam, if the Opposition parties contest separately in the state assembly elections scheduled to be held in 2021. Many people are seen advising the newly formulated regional parties to make a pre-poll alliance between them. Even some have suggested the leaderships of the AJP and the Raijor Dal to form alliance with the Congress and the AIUDF, led by Badaruddin Ajmal. In the meanwhile, the Congress and the AIUDF did a pact to fight jointly in the upcoming assembly elections. These had jointly contested the recently concluded the Bodoland Territorial Council elections. But the election was seen a blow to the both parties as these won only one seat out of total 40.
Girishankar Goswami, the state chief convenor of Raijor Dal, in an exclusive chat with this writer, categorically stated that they would not form any alliance with the Congress and the AIUDF under any circumstances. But he has hoped that the Raijor Dal is hoping to form an alliance with the AJP before the upcoming assembly polls. “ During the six-year-long Assam Movement, more than eight hundreded protestors lost their lives in the police atrocities. Then, the Congress was in the government. So, how could we form an alliance with such a party?”, Goswami added. He has also termed the BJP and the AIUDF as communal parties. The young political leader has also claimed that they have support of the 90 percent indigenous people of the state and tried to translate their support into votes. “We have a strong support base in both the valleys in the state, i.e. the Brahmaputra and the Barak. We hope to fight in the upcoming elections jointly with the AJP”, the leader further said.
It can be noted that the Asom Gana Parishad(AGP), which ruled the state twice was formed in 1985 after the end of the historic Assam Movement. But it failed to fulfill its promises given to the indigenous populace of the state. In the 2016 Assam assembly elections, the AGP formed alliance with the BJP and won 14 seats out of the total 126. But this time the regional party has been facing the most indigenous people's ire.
The Rongmei community of Guwahati came together to celebrate its 7th Charuangc Khatni Zawthanh Kariumei 2025 (Cultural and Freshers’ Meet) under the theme “Reaffirming Identity, Shaping Futures” at the Maniram Dewan Trade Centre Auditorium on Thursday.
The event witnessed enthusiastic participation from Rongmei residents and freshers from across the city. The celebration was graced by Chief Guest Chaitali Panmei, IRS (Retd.), former Principal Chief Commissioner of Income Tax, North Eastern Region, and Guest of Honour Rev. T.P. Mordecai, Associate Secretary, EFI North East. Both dignitaries inspired the gathering with their reflections on the importance of cultural identity and...
A devastating accident at the Ennore Thermal Power construction site in Tamil Nadu claimed the lives of nine workers from Assam and nearby regions on Tuesday, after a steel arch collapsed.
TANGEDCO Chairman Dr. J. Radhakrishnan confirmed that one worker was critically injured, while over 10 others sustained serious injuries and were admitted to Stanley Government Hospital in North Chennai. BHEL officials have reached the site as rescue operations continue. Police said the exact cause of the collapse is under investigation.
Meanwhile, in a separate incident in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, six workers died and six others were injured when the roof of a private steel plant collapsed in the...
A standoff between taxi unions from Assam and Meghalaya has disrupted travel for hundreds of tourists at the Jorabat border near Guwahati. The confrontation began when the All Khasi Meghalaya Tourist Taxi Association (AKMTTA) initiated a blockade, preventing Assam-registered taxis from entering Meghalaya. The AKMTTA cited concerns over the livelihoods of local drivers, alleging that the influx of Assam-based taxis was adversely affecting their business.
In retaliation, Assam's Motor Parivan Sewakarmi Sanmilita Mancha organized a strike, halting vehicles from Meghalaya at key transit points, including Guwahati Railway Station, Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport, and the...
The Assam Royal Global University (RGU) successfully hosted a two-day national conference on September 15–16 titled “Resilient Futures: Indian Knowledge Systems for Energy, Sustainability, and Climate Action.” In a significant step towards promoting regional languages in higher education, the entire event was conducted in Assamese.
The conference was inaugurated with a ceremonial lamp-lighting, where Chief Guest Dr. Hirak Ranjan Das, Innovation Manager, AICTE (NER), emphasized the relevance of indigenous knowledge in shaping sustainable futures. Coordinator Dr. Saswati Bordoloi noted that AICTE-VAANI seeks to revive Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) while giving voice to diverse...
DIMAPUR, September 13: Zigzak Technologies Pvt. Ltd., a rising technology start-up founded by filmmaker and tech enthusiast Mr. Lorence Kachari, is preparing to launch its flagship lifestyle application, Zigzak, next week. The company has described the initiative as a step towards transforming digital convenience in Nagaland, the North East and beyond.
The application is designed to function as an all-in-one service platform, bringing together facilities such as food delivery, grocery shopping, rides, medicines, parcel services and home services on a single interface.
The development of the app has been undertaken by a team of fifteen engineers and developers based in Hyderabad, under...
Indigenous leaders of Assam have strongly condemned what they described as "barbaric atrocities" by Assam Police on members of the Koch-Rajbanshi community at Golokganj in Dhubri district on September 10. They demanded an impartial judicial inquiry and strict action against the culprits, urging the state to ensure that such incidents are not repeated when communities raise their democratic rights.
At the same press conference, the leaders also expressed outrage over the detention of Bhanu Tatak — a young activist and legal advisor of the Siang Indigenous Farmers’ Forum — at Delhi’s international airport on September 7. Tatak, who had been invited to Dublin City University in Ireland for...
Mumbai: The never-say-die soul of Dr. Bhupen Hazarika enjoyed yet another acme of glory when millions of people across the globe remembered him on his birth centenary on 8th September. From Assam and Kolkata to the capital Delhi, from India’s downtown Mumbai to Bengaluru, the Bard of Brahmaputra came alive with his songs and rhymes.
On 8th September, renowned music therapist and performer Anubhuti Goswami, along with her husband and multi-instrumentalist Emon Goswami, presented a soulful tribute to the legend Dr. Bhupen Hazarika as part of the birth centenary celebrations in Kolkata.
The duo performed at the Assam Bhawan, organized by the Kolkata Assamese Cultural Association,...
Clashes broke out in Churachandpur district on Thursday evening, barely two days before the scheduled visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Manipur, throwing the administration into a state of heightened alert. The incident occurred near Peasonmun village, situated about five kilometres from the Churachandpur police station, when a group of unidentified persons allegedly attempted to damage decorations and arrangements being put up for the Prime Minister’s public engagement.
Police personnel who rushed to the spot were confronted by the miscreants, following which a scuffle ensued. Reports indicate that several properties suffered damage during the course of the incident. While...
A heartfelt felicitation ceremony was held in Lumding to honor Naga woman Mrs. T. Machapakla Ao, the visionary founder of the Assamese medium school in the town. The event, organized by the fortnightly publication Matir Manuh, celebrated her pivotal role in establishing the school in 1956—a milestone in Lumding’s educational history.
Prominent speakers at the event included Rajkumar Baishya (Chief Editor, Matir Manuh), Deepak Mena (Executive President), Minati Sharma (Director Member), Prashant Hatimota (General Secretary), Sujata Sharma (Social Media Secretary), Anup Arandhara (Secretary, Mung-Dun-Chung Kham, Assam, NE India), Dr. T. Lima Jamir (President, Nagaland Indigenous People’s...
In recent years, Assam has witnessed a series of eviction drives that have displaced thousands, predominantly targeting Muslims of East Bengali origin. These individuals, often referred to as 'Miyas', have faced allegations of being 'illegal immigrants' despite possessing valid Indian documentation. The state's actions have raised concerns about the underlying motives and the implications for democracy and human rights.
Political Motive Behind Evictions
Experts argue that these eviction drives are strategically timed ahead of elections to create a divisive narrative. The ruling BJP is accused of attempting to foster a Hindu-Muslim divide, with some local organizations already holding...
Add new comment