KMSS general secretary Kamal Kumar Medhi speaks at the news conference in Guwahati on Tuesday. Picture by UB Photos

Guwahati, Oct. 7: After years of campaign for land rights for indigenous people in Upper Assam districts and Guwahati, Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) is launching a similar drive from October 20 to highlight the problems confronting people in at least seven districts in lower Assam.

KMSS general secretary Kamal Kumar Medhi today said at least 200 members of the peasants’ organisation would start a procession from here at 9am on October 20 and visit villages in Kamrup, Nalbari, Baksa, Bongaigaon, Barpeta, Dhubri and Goalpara districts to take stock of the problems such as flood and erosion, identity crisis because of illegal migration, D (doubtful)-voters and foreigners issue, among others.

“Our members and leaders in these districts will visit the villages on foot, hold meetings and talk to people and will try to understand the genesis of the problems and find out the possible solutions,” Medhi said. “We are launching this campaign, as the issues concerning people in the lower Assam districts have not been properly highlighted in our mainstream political platforms. Following our field visits, we will organise a convention here where all these issues will be discussed and we will try to suggest a scientific solution to the problems.”

Led by peasants’ leader Akhil Gogoi, the KMSS has been leading a campaign for land rights for the indigenous landless farmers, against big dams in the Northeast, corruption in government delivery systems and demanding land to the landless in Guwahati, among others.

The group has also been opposing the conversion of agricultural land for non-agricultural purposes and demanding a new comprehensive land-use policy in Assam.

Hundreds of their members, including its president Akhil, were arrested or detained while staging protests in support of their demands and opposing many government policies.

Medhi said although their members would try to take stock of all the problems confronting the lower Assam districts, and foreigners’ issue and identity crisis faced by various indigenous tribes in those districts would be their important area of focus.

“Foreigners’ issue is a big problem and many people, mostly the poor Muslim farmers, are often suspected to be illegal migrants and have faced harassment. We want a permanent solution to the foreigner problem. We will also talk to villagers and leaders of different ethnic groups such as Koch Rajbongshi, Bodo, Rabha, Garo, Kachari and others who area facing identity crisis because of migration from the neighbouring Bangladesh. Besides, people in Barpeta, Kamrup and Bongaigaon districts are under the fear of floods triggered because of water released from the big dams in the upper reaches of neighbouring Bhutan,” Medhi said.