Karbi Anglong: In a fiery press conference at the BJP office in Diphu, Karbi Anglong BJP spokesperson Laichen Engleng defended the much-anticipated “Purthimi Akemang 1.0 and 2.0” initiative, a flagship program aimed at distributing free land pattas to tribal and indigenous communities across Karbi Anglong. Engleng accused APHLC chief J.I. Kathar sowed confusion and division by spreading contradictory narratives about the scheme during his public meetings.
Speaking to a gathering of journalists, Engleng emphasized the initiative’s inclusive scope, clarifying that land pattas will be granted to all eligible residents of Karbi Anglong tribal and non-tribal alike who can prove settlement in the region prior to 1951 or 1952. “This transformative step is designed to secure rights for long-standing inhabitants and foster unity, not discord,” Engleng stated. “The land of Karbi Anglong and West Karbi Anglong unequivocally belongs to the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC), and this distribution will honor that legacy while benefiting everyone who calls it home.”
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Engleng’s sharpest rebukes were reserved for Kathar, whom he labeled a “master of misinformation.” According to Engleng, Kathar has been telling tribal audiences that the pattas are being “handed over to non-tribals,” stoking fears of dispossession among indigenous groups. Conversely, in non-tribal areas, Kathar allegedly warns residents that even those who arrived before the 1951-52 cutoff will be denied pattas by the KAAC. “This duplicity is creating unnecessary chaos in our society,” Engleng charged. “Kathar must stop misleading the people of Karbi Anglong with his flip-flopping rhetoric. It’s time for facts, not fearmongering.”
The “Purthimi Akemang” program, meaning “First Light” in the local dialect, has been hailed by BJP leaders as a cornerstone of empowerment for the region’s marginalized communities. Phase 1.0 focuses on distribution of one lakhs free land pattas, while Phase 2.0 will accelerate patta issuance, potentially covering another one lakhs free land pattas. Local activists and community leaders have expressed cautious optimism, viewing it as a long-overdue rectification of historical land rights issues stemming from the region’s autonomous status under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.
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The APHLC has yet to respond to Engleng’s allegations. For now, the controversy underscores the high stakes surrounding land governance in one of Northeast India’s most vibrant autonomous districts.
