Prabin Boro was demanding land rights for migrant families that have settled in the forested hills around Assam’s capital
An activist associated with the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) set himself ablaze in front of the Guwahati secretariat on February 24. He and other protesters were demanding land rights for the people living in Guwahati's hilly areas. Prabin Boro succumbed to the burn injuries in the evening at the Gauhati Medical College Hospital.
During a protest before Boro took the extreme step, he and fellow protesters demanded that the Assam government distribute land titles to those who have settled in the government-owned forested lands in Guwahati as per various government laws, including the Forest Rights Act of 2006.
KMSS claims that around 85,000 families have settled in the forest areas near Guwahati after having migrated from various parts of Assam to seek livelihood. Many of them are flood victims. It is alleged that the Assam government had decided to distribute land titles to only 500 families that have settled on such lands before 2001. KMSS protested against this and asked the government to settle land rights according to FRA 2006 and other government rules with 2011 as the cut-off date.
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