A large torch light rally was taken out in Boko on Saturday evening by several Rabha organisations to press their long-standing demand for bringing the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. The protest was organised mainly by the Kamrup District Rabha Students’ Union along with the Kamrup District Women’s Council and the Sixth Schedule Demand Committee.
The demand has been raised repeatedly since 2003. The Rabha organisations allege that even after many years, the Assam Government has not given enough importance to this issue. The participating organisations said that the demand has been pending for a long time and that the community has become frustrated due to what they called the government’s lack of interest.
A large number of Rabha people joined the rally, and most of them walked with burning torches in their hands. The rally started from Gandhi Maidan and moved through Boko Primary Health Centre and Boko Police Station before ending near the Boko Regional Rabha Students’ Union office. Members from ten regional units of the Rabha Students’ Union under Kamrup district joined the event. Men and women from surrounding villages also participated. 
Throughout the rally, people shouted slogans such as “Assam Government Hai Hai”, “Assam Government Liar”, and “Sixth Schedule is our rightful demand”. The protestors said that the community has waited for many years but no solution has been given by the government.
Over the past two months, several parallel protests have been held in different places of Kamrup and Goalpara districts by the All Rabha Students’ Union, All Rabha Women’s Council and the Sixth Schedule Demand Committee. Leaders of these organisations said that they plan to take the issue to the national capital and will organise a dharna at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on December 12.
Speaking at the protest, Sixth Schedule Demand Committee president Dashanan Rabha alleged that the government has made “false promises” to the Rabha community. He said that the community feels cheated because nothing has been done even after many assurances. He also warned that if the demand is not fulfilled before the forthcoming Assembly elections, the Rabha organisations will launch stronger protests.
He said that the organisations are ready to field their own candidates in the elections if the government does not act on the demand. According to him, preparations have already begun to contest in at least four Assembly constituencies in the Rabha Hasong area and other places where the Rabha community is present in large numbers.
All Rabha Students’ Union vice-president Pradip Rabha also spoke during the rally. He said that the protest will continue until the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council gets Sixth Schedule status. He expressed the view that only Sixth Schedule recognition can protect the political and administrative rights of the community.
Rabha leaders say their demand is not new and that they have raised it repeatedly through democratic means. They also said that the government should take a clear decision because the issue has remained unresolved for more than two decades.
