TURA: Several organizations from Assam have strongly opposed and condemned the Garo Development Council (GDC) which has been given by the state government for Garos residing in the state stating that the community had never asked for it.
Organizations like the the Garo National Council (GNC), Garo Youths’ Council (GYC) and, Garo Women’s Council (GWC) on Tuesday in a statement asserted that the original demand by them was for the Garo Autonomous Council which was raised in 2010 before then Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi.
“We were the first Garo Organisations in Assam to demand for the creation of Garo Autonomous Council (GAC) on March 13, 2010 at a meeting at Langkona village near Boko, Kamrup District. Due to our demands, the previous government repeatedly offered the Garo Development Council (GDC) which was refused by us after knowing that GDC is meaningless, powerless and unconstitutional,” Enindra Marak, the General Secretary of GNC said.
Marak said that the same was now being contemplated to be implemented by the state government as some self-styled Garo leaders of the United Garo Autonomous Council Movement Committee (UGACMC) have accepted the Garo Development Council (GDC) destroying the longstanding dream and demand for Garo Autonomous Council (GAC).
“The so called President of the UGACMC and newly nominated Chairman of GDC, Alex K. Sangma is not Garo by birth. His real name is Mahendra Barua and at present he is living in Salpara (Mendipather) in Meghalaya. How can he be a Garo leader and be nominated as Chairman of the GDC,” the organizations questioned.
The organizations further stated that the newly-nominated Chairman and Vice-Chairman including the members of the GDC were never associated with the demand and movement for the Garo Autonomous Council (GAC) and termed the creation of GDC and nomination of members as illegal.
“This is an insult to the leaders of the real movement for the GAC. We strongly oppose and condemn the creation of Garo Development Council (GDC) as well as nomination of its members. Our first and last demand is Garo Autonomous Council (GAC), we will not accept anything less for the Garo people of Assam,” the organizations asserted.
Meanwhile, another Garo leader, Suneet P Marak whose name was published in the notification for formation of the Garo Development Council by the Assam Governor, has rejected his nomination as the member of the GDC.
“I never asked to be nominated and am not associated with these so called members of the GDC. I reject my nomination and will never accept the membership of GDC,” Suneet said.