SHILLONG: The Garoland State Movement Committee has urged the Centre to constitute the State Re-organisation Commission to pave the way for a separate Garo state.
The committee, led by its chairman Nikman Ch Marak, held a demonstration at the Additional Secretariat Parking Lot here on Wednesday to press for the demand.
“We will remind and request the government that the State Re-organisation Commission must be constituted to solve our long-standing demand for Garoland and to give a lasting solution to all the new state demands,” he said.
Asserting that the demand for Garoland is a political issue, he said, “If political will is there, then no one can stop, even IAS officers or lawyers, even we also cannot stop. It all depends on political leaders.”
Marak said the committee had sought an appointment with Chief Minister Conrad Sangma who is yet to respond.
While blaming the previous governments for ignoring the demand, Marak said, “NPP had taken up the issue in its agenda during the 2014 Lok Sabha election.”
The committee, which was formed in 2012, has urged the Centre and the state to initiate dialogues with pro-Garoland groups.
“The Garoland State Movement Committee is committed to non-violence movement. We hope and believe that the long-pending demand can be solved through free and open dialogue across the negotiating table,” he said.
Referring to media reports about the proposed Garoland map, Marak said the committee has not yet come up with any map but would wait for negotiation to take place with the government.
Concerns were raised on the inclusion of many Khasi areas in the proposed Garoland map submitted by disbanded Garo militant outfit.
However, Marak maintained that all stakeholders, political parties, different NGOs would be taken into confidence to discuss the Garoland map to ensure no communal tension stems from the bickering over the map.
“The Garo inhabitants in numerous areas of Khasi Hills, Jaintia Hills, Ri Bhoi, West and South West Khasi Hills have not communicated and not joined the protest but those residing in Assam have. We cannot go and force them to support the committee. If they are willing to join, then we will sit and discuss with them,” he said.
He pointed out that there were Garos in Assam who are demanding for autonomous council and met Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal. There are Garos living in Tripura, West Bengal and Nagaland as well.
“We will put forth the agenda to them whether they will join us or not. If yes, we will sit and discuss and if not, it is up to them,” Marak said and explained that the difference in language, tradition, culture, custom, landholding system and local governance is different from Khasi and Jaintia has laid the base for the separate statehood demand.
“The backwardness and underdevelopment of Garo Hills also forced us to demand for a separate state. By creating a separate state, we will solve issues of militancy, backwardness in education etc,” he said.
Meanwhile, a pro-Garoland leader has said if Conrad Sangma fails to fulfil the demand for a separate state, then “he is not fit to be called the son of PA Sangma”.
A’chik Holistic Awakening Movement president and former GNLA chairman Champion Sangma told reporters at a procession for separate state on Wednesday that the late leader had handed over the baton to his son to fulfil the demand because the former fought his last elections on the same. He expressed optimism that Conrad will fulfil the demand.
To a query, he said Garoland will become a reality.
