Koch Rajbongshi groups in lower Assam welcomed the state government’s decision to form the Kamtapur Autonomous Council (KAC), carving out portions of Goalpara district, excluding the Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD) and Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council.

All Koch Rajbongshi Student’s Union (AKRSU) president Gokul Barman said, “We welcome the decision and offer our heartfelt thanks to the Sarbananda Sonowal-government for his move for the development of our community. I appeal to the government to grant us tribal status in the next step.”

On the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, Barman said they are with the groups opposing the law but his organisation has not yet decided its “final stand” on the matter.

“The government has acknowledged the legitimacy of our Kamtapur demand. We welcome it and demand the government to grant us Scheduled Tribe status within a short time,” former AKRSU leader Bimal Barman said.

“Since around 3.5 lakh Koch Rajbongshis have been excluded from the updated National Register of Citizens (NRC), we have to think before we support and oppose the CAA,” Barman said.

The president of the Koch Rajbongshi Sangram Samiti, Atul Ray, echoed the student union leaders.

AKRSU adviser Hiteswar Barman did not agree with the government’s decision to form an autonomous council for the Koch Rajbongshi people.

“The government should discuss in detail about the power, function, benefits of the Koch Rajbongshi people and jurisdiction of the autonomous council with all the Koch Rajbongshi groups before it is formed. Unless the government makes the matter clear to us we cannot support the decision,” he said.

The president of the district unit of the All Assam Koch Rajbongshi Yuba Chatra Sanmilani, Troilokya Ray, said , “We are satisfied that at least our autonomous council has been named after Kamtapur. But we demand to include all the areas of the proposed Kamtapur state in the council.”

Koch Rajbongshi Sahitya Sabha general secretary Kamal Kumar Barman also hailed the decision and drew the government’s attention to the Koch Rajbongshi people living outside the proposed Kamtapur Autonomous Council.