GUWAHATI: The United Garo Autonomous Council Movement Committee (UGACMC) has submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi reiterating its demand for creation of an autonomous council for the Garo community in Assam.
In the memorandum submitted on Wednesday, UGACMC (Assam state) chairman, Alex K. Sangma stated that a separate autonomous council (on satellite basis) for the Garo community in Assam within the framework of the Indian Constitution was imperative for shaping its destiny in respect of political, socio-cultural ethnicity, education, etc.
“Garo areas have been neglected by successive governments in Assam. Funds allocated for implementation of schemes in the Garo areas have not been properly utilised. This imbalance and backwardness can only be redressed by the creation of separate Garo Autonomous Council (GAC) where the Garos can determine their development goals and fulfill their cultural, traditional and linguistic aspirations,” Sangma claimed.
The UGACMC had submitted a comprehensive survey report on the Garo population in Assam to the state government on March 3, 2020. The survey was conducted primarily from village to village in all the districts of Assam.
“This report summarised data collected from community surveys conducted throughout Garo villages in 33 districts of Assam during April to October 2019 as part of a comprehensive Garo population survey in Assam,” he said.
The survey found a population of more than 7 lakh Garos in 33 districts of the state in about 900 villages of Assam. Majority of the population resides in Goalpara and Kamrup districts and hence the area has been proposed to be the core area of the proposed Garo Autonomous Council.
“We demand a separate council prior to the grant of Sixth Schedule status to the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council. Otherwise, the UGACMC will be compelled to intensify our agitation in various ways until our demand for creation of a separate autonomous council is fulfilled,” he said.
Referring to the creation of Kamatapur Autonomous Council and Motok-Moran Autonomous Council by the Assam government, Sangma alleged that the move was biased.
“UGACMC on behalf of entire Garo community of Assam strongly opposes any decision of the government which restricts the rights and privileges of one of the major tribes of Assam with relatively higher population than the communities for whom autonomous councils have been created,” he said.