Senior Bodo leaders have reacted to the recent violence in Karbi Anglong, expressing concern over repeated land encroachment in Sixth Schedule areas and raising serious questions about the effectiveness of constitutional protections meant for tribal communities. While criticising the government’s failure to act in time, the leaders appealed for peace, restraint and a democratic path to resolve long-pending issues.
President of the All Bodo Students’ Union (ABSU), Dipen Boro, said the situation in Karbi Anglong mirrors what is happening in the Bodoland Territorial Region. He stated that protected government land such as PGR and VGR in Karbi Anglong has allegedly been encroached upon by non-tribal illegal migrants, while tribal belts, blocks and indigenous land in the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) area are also being taken over by non-bonafide encroachers.
Raising a larger constitutional concern, Dipen Boro questioned whether the Sixth Schedule is truly safeguarding tribal identity, land and reservation as originally intended. He said the provision was included in the Constitution after long debates in the Constituent Assembly to protect aboriginal tribes of the Northeast, but its spirit has been weakened over time. “Protection of tribal rights has become a slogan, while vote bank politics appears to be in action,” he remarked. 
Reacting specifically to the violence in West Karbi Anglong, Dipen Boro described the incident at Kheroni as unfortunate and avoidable. He said the failure of the government to respond in time to organisations sitting on a peaceful hunger strike, and the lack of serious dialogue and negotiation, led to the outbreak of violence. He appealed to the tribal people of Karbi Anglong to maintain peace and continue their fight for rights and justice through democratic and non-violent means.
Meanwhile, United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL) chief Pramod Boro also made an emotional appeal to the people of Karbi Anglong, urging them to stop further loss of innocent lives. In a message addressed to “brothers and sisters of Karbi Anglong,” he said the region’s history has been marked by pain and repeated injustice, but stressed that violence would only deepen wounds.
Pramod Boro said the people of the hills are not enemies but part of one family, sharing the same pain and future. He urged the public to choose healing over anger and reminded that no struggle is won by rage alone. “True strength comes from calm minds and disciplined action,” he said, adding that peace and non-violence are the only ways to keep hope alive.
