Assam protests: Hunger strike ends, but tensions flare over land rights
After two weeks on hunger strike, protesters in Assam's West Karbi Anglong district ended their fast following talks with Minister Ranoj Pegu.
Their main demand was to evict encroachers from tribal grazing lands protected under the Sixth Schedule.
The hunger strike ended a day after violence broke out—protesters set fire to a council chief's ancestral home and damaged shops, leaving several people injured.
Why does it matter?
This unrest isn't just about land—it's about identity and rights for the Karbi community.
The dispute has affected thousands of families and sparked new protests from Bihari settlers worried about their livelihoods.
With legal battles ongoing and prohibitory orders still in place, Assam is facing tough questions around who gets to call these lands home—and how different communities can coexist peacefully.