Jatinga Valley Tea Garden Workers Protest Construction of Khasi–Jaintia Council Office, Threaten Poll Boycott

Tension has been escalating at Jatinga Valley Tea Estate in Borkhola’s Tibongcherra since Wednesday (December 3) after tea garden workers launched massive protests against the construction of the Barak Valley Khasi-Jaintia Development Council (KJDC) office, alleging that the building is being constructed on tea estate land. The foundation stone for the office was laid just three days earlier, on December 1, by two Assam cabinet ministers.

On Monday (December 1), Dr Ranoj Pegu, Assam’s Minister of Tribal Affairs, announced the project on social media. He wrote, “Today, in the presence of Hon’ble Minister Shri Kaushik Rai and leaders of the Barak Valley Khasi-Jaintia Welfare Organisation, I laid the foundation stone of the Khasi-Jaintia Development Council at New Tibongcherra Khasi Punjee, along the East–West Corridor (NH). A significant number of Khasi and Jaintia villages are located across the Barak Valley, and the KJDC will work dedicatedly for the development and welfare of these indigenous tribal communities.”

The ceremony took place at New Tibongcherra, under the Jatinga Valley Tea Estate in the Borkhola constituency of Cachar. However, within 48 hours, tea garden workers came out in strong opposition, claiming the land belongs to the estate.

On Wednesday, hundreds of workers gathered at the site and staged an intense demonstration. They alleged that the council office is being constructed on tea garden land without any consultation with the workers or the estate. Many said they were “shocked” to see construction activities on land they believe legally belongs to the garden.

The protesters have demanded the immediate demolition of the construction and have sent written complaints to the Chief Minister of Assam and the District Commissioner of Cachar. They warned that any attempt to continue work would lead to larger agitation.

Workers further threatened to boycott the upcoming elections if the land is not returned to the tea garden.

Tea Garden Panchayat’s Kushma Singh said, “The Khasis belong to the hilly areas, and this is a plain area. How can they claim this to be their land? Our previous generations have been here, and now they are occupying our land. We don’t have agriculture or fields; we only have our garden. If this goes away, what would happen to our next generation and our children?”

It is worth mentioning here that, earlier on November 28, the Assam Legislative Assembly passed the “Assam Fixation of Ceiling on Land Holding (Amendment) Bill, 2025” for the land rights of tea garden labourers who have been living for long in Assam.