From Our Correspondent
TURA: Sitting GNC legislator from Chokpot was among several thousand supporters for a separate Garo Hills state during a rally at Resubelpara in North Garo Hills on Friday morning.
The Garo Hills State Movement Committee, comprising several Garo Hills-based organisations and student bodies, concluded its district-wide rally for support for the separate state issue in North Garo Hills.
Several thousand students, elders, Nokmas and members of various organisations including the All India Garo Union, Tura Government College Students Union and Garo National Council arrived in Resubelpara from different parts of Garo Hills.
Volunteers and supporters for the new state travelled for the rally from distant places of the region including Baghmara-Siju-Rongara in South Garo Hills as well as from Williamnagar-Rongjeng-Mangsang in the East.
Speaking at the rally, GNC President and MLA of Chokpot, Clifford R Marak, called upon all political parties to set aside their differences and stand united in the struggle for a separate Garo Hills state.
“Unless we are united we cannot achieve our goal and realise our dream,” said Marak, whose party – GNC – was represented by a large number of participants including A’king land Nokmas.
With the conclusion of the district level public rally at Resubelpara, the organisers of the rally have indicated that they will now put more emphasis on different modes of protest to draw attention to their struggle.
“We have raised the issue of separate state to the people at all the important places of Garo Hills. Soon we will be raising the statehood cry further,” said movement president Nikman Marak.
The movement leaders have indicated that shutdowns, bandhs, non-cooperation movement and strikes cannot be ruled out unless the government sits up and takes notice of the grievances of the Garo Hills people.
“There was a time when our tribe inhabited areas as far as Sylhet and Mymensing districts of Bangladesh in the south, Ranikor in the west (Khasi Hills) and Kamrup-Goalpara (Assam) in the north. Today the area has dwindled and we need to protect our identity,” said the GHSMC President.
Several leaders of the movement including AIGU President Enison Marak, TGCSU leaders, church leaders and even Nokmas also spoke to the public attending the rally. They highlighted the significance of having one’s very own state.