The Asam Agitation which started in 1979 and ended with The Assam Accord in 1985, is a major timeline of history of Assam.
The Assam Accord, which sought to end a six-year-long agitation against illegal immigrants in Assam, was signed between members of the All Assam Students Union (AASU), and state and central governments just a few hours before Rajiv Gandhi was to deliver the Independence Day address in 1985. Immediately afterwards, the student leaders were catapulted from their hostel rooms into the corridors of power. Their party, the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), was voted to power the same year, with Prafulla Kumar Mahanta becoming the youngest ever chief minister of an Indian state.
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Key clauses of the Assam Accord remained unimplemented during Mahanta's often controversial tenures (1985-1990, 1996-2001), and through three terms of Congress rule, which ended with the BJP's victory in the state in 2016. Central to the Accord was deportation of those who could not prove their roots in India prior to 24 March 1971. In 2015, the process of updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC) based on the 1971 cut-off of the Accord began. The first list was released in December 2017, and did not include 14 million names.
Assam: The Accord, The Discord authored by journalist Sangeeta Barooah Pisharoty looks at the making of the Assam Accord and its long shadow on the state, through political gamesmanship between principle players, periods of ULFA and Bodo militancies, and right-wing propaganda that has split the state along communal lines.
A major political controversy has erupted around Himanta Biswa Sarma after the Congress party levelled serious allegations regarding the alleged accumulation of vast wealth abroad by his family, particularly involving his wife Riniki Bhuyan Sarma.
According to a report by The Wire, Congress leader Pawan Khera claimed that assets worth nearly ₹52,000 crore have been stashed overseas, particularly in the United States, through a company allegedly linked to the Chief Minister’s family.
At a press conference in New Delhi, Khera alleged that Riniki Bhuyan Sarma holds multiple foreign passports and questioned the source of such large-scale wealth. He further demanded a probe and even called...
Guwahati, April 3, 2026: The Moung-Dun-Chun-Kham State Demand Committee and the Moung-Dun-Chun-Kham People’s Party on Friday held a press conference at the Dispur Press Club, reiterating their demand for permanent political rights and autonomy for the Tai-Ahom community in Assam.
Addressing the media, representatives of the organisations stated that despite the Tai-Ahom community’s historical and demographic significance, successive governments have failed to provide meaningful constitutional safeguards.
“At present, almost all indigenous communities of Assam… have been raising demands for autonomy or self-determination under the Indian Constitution,” the press release noted,...
A three-day workshop titled “Youth Leaders for Rivers: Learning Workshop” concluded today at the Cachar Club Conference Hall, bringing together young leaders from across the region to collaborate on river governance, water rights and community resilience.
Organized by the North-East Affected Area Development Society (NEADS) with support from the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the event was held from March 24 to 26 under the Youth Basin Ambassadors (YBA) initiative. It aimed to connect youth working across the Ganges–Brahmaputra–Meghna Basin and deepen their understanding of river systems, governance challenges and community-driven solutions.
Participants included...
Tinsukia, March 22: Suspected militants of the banned outfit United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent) (ULFA-I) launched a pre-dawn attack on an Assam Police commando camp in the Jagun area of Tinsukia district, leaving at least four security personnel injured.
According to reports, the militants attacked the camp around 2 a.m., allegedly lobbing several grenades and opening fire with automatic weapons. Security forces retaliated, leading to an exchange of fire that lasted for several minutes before the attackers fled the scene. The injured personnel were later shifted to a hospital in Dibrugarh for treatment.
Following the attack, Army and police units launched a joint...
WWF-India, in collaboration with Samagra Shiksha Assam, felicitated five top-performing schools under the ‘Mission Prakriti’ programme for 2025–26 at a ceremony in Guwahati.
The initiative promotes environmental awareness among students through themes like biodiversity, water, waste, food, and energy. In Assam, the programme covers over 4,700 schools across all districts.
The award-winning schools include Natun Fatasil Town HS (Kamrup Metro), Sakai Khangia High School (Jorhat), Bishnu Jyoti MES (Sonitpur), PM Shri Jamira HS School (Hailakandi), and PM Shri Gossaigaon Girls HS School (Kokrajhar). Tinsukia district was also recognised as the best-performing district.
Officials...
Jorhat: Tirtha Prasad Saikia, Director of the North-East Affected Area Development Society (NEADS), an indigenous civil society organisation based in Jorhat, Assam, has been appointed as the Constituency Focal Point for the People Affected by Conflict and Disaster Constituency of the Asia Pacific Regional CSO Engagement Mechanism (APRCEM).
APRCEM is a regional civil society platform that brings together organisations across Asia and the Pacific to engage with intergovernmental processes on sustainable development, particularly the implementation and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Through this organisational role,...
SHILLONG, Mar 11: The Meghalaya government has postponed the elections to the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) that were scheduled to be held on April 10, 2026, following violent clashes in West Garo Hills that left two people dead.
Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma announced the decision on Wednesday, saying the state government reviewed the prevailing law-and-order situation in the Garo Hills region before deciding to defer the polls.
The unrest erupted during the nomination process in Chibinang in West Garo Hills, where clashes broke out between groups supporting and opposing the participation of non-tribal candidates in the GHADC elections. Two persons were killed...
The Meghalaya High Court has set aside a controversial notification that made possession of a Scheduled Tribe (ST) certificate mandatory for candidates contesting the upcoming elections to the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC).
Delivering the judgment on March 10, Justice H. S. Thangkhiew ruled that the February 17, 2026 notification issued by the GHADC Executive Committee lacked legal authority and did not follow the procedure required under the Assam and Meghalaya Autonomous Districts (Constitution of District Councils) Rules, 1951.
The court observed that the notification effectively barred non-tribal voters and candidates from participating in the council elections...
TURA, Meghalaya – March 11, 2026: Tensions surrounding the upcoming elections to the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), scheduled for April 10, have triggered violent clashes in the West Garo Hills district of Meghalaya, leaving two people dead and several others injured. The unrest has also resulted in widespread vandalism and arson in several areas of the district.
The tensions stem from a controversial notification requiring candidates contesting the council elections to possess valid Scheduled Tribe (ST) certificate documentation. The rule has effectively prevented many non-tribal residents—particularly Bengali-speaking Muslims living in the plains belt areas such as...
North East Affected Area Development Society (NEADS), a grassroots development organisation based in Jorhat working with people’s struggles and community development initiatives, observed International Women’s Day at Chumoni Chapori village under the Jhanjimukh area in Jorhat district on Sunday, bringing together local women, community leaders and youth to celebrate the achievements and contributions of women in society.
The programme was organized with the participation of women from riverine communities who shared their experiences, challenges and aspirations for greater social and economic empowerment. The event focused on raising awareness about women’s rights, gender equality and...
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