From Our Correspondent
Guwahati: The age-old ethnic fabric in Assam which is called a mini India being home to a large number of ethnic communities, is all set to torn apart as many of the major tribes have either raised or renewed demand for separate State carved out of Assam in the wake of the UPA government’s decision to create a Telangana State.
In addition to the largest ethnic group Bodo, the other tribes which have either resumed and threatened to launch statehood movements in different parts of the State included Koch – Rajbongshi, Karbi, Dimasa,
The Bodos, Karbis and Dimasas have renewed their long-standing demand for a separate state to be carved out of the present State of Assam while Koch-Rajbongshi community has started agitation demanding a Kamatapur State comprising parts of Western Assam and adjoining north Bengal areas of West Bengal.
In view of the renewed statehood movements, Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi has stated that his government was not for further division of Assam and stated that all the communities in the State should stay together to facilitate rapid all encompassing economic development.
His view has been supported by the ruling Congress in Assam.
Meanwhile, train services within Assam between Guwahati and eastern Assam have been disrupted as statehood movement by Karbi tribe in Karbi Anglong hill district in Central Assam have turned violent.
Mobs of agitators on Thursday set fire to a number of government offices and the regional office of Assam Sahitya Sabha in Diphu and other parts of the hill district defying curfew that was imposed on Wednesday.
Indefinite curfew was clamped in the hill district after one person had been killed and 21 injured in police firing in Diphu in Karbi Anglong hill district where unruly mobs set fire to several government buildings and vehicles to press for their demand for a separate State for Karbi tribe comprising two hill districts of Assam – Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao.
Police on Thursday had to fire in the air for quite some time near Diphu town where Karbi tribe people including women came on the road to impose blockade. The mob set fire to many government buildings in the area.
The agitators are demanding resignation of all the executive members of the Congress-led Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KKAC) l to press for creation of a separate State for Karbi tribe.
A source informed that all the members of the KAAC is planning to go to New Delhi to meet the Central leaders to apprise the latter of the volatile situation prevailing in the hill district because of the renewed statehood movement after UPA government’s decision to create Telangana State.
The Karbi Anglong hill district in Assam was created in 1951 and Karbi Anglong Autonomous District Council (KAADC) was constituted in 1952.
It was in 1986, the statehood movement demanding a separate State for the Karbi tribe took root and the movement was headed the Autonomous State Demand Committee (ASDC).