TURA, June 16: Kicking off its demand for setting up of the winter capital in Tura, the A’chik Conscious Holistic Integrated Krima (ACHIK) on Friday held a sit-in demonstration-cum-meeting in front of the Mini Secretariat at Dakopgre in Tura.
Common people from different walks of life as well as eminent leaders of various NGOs participated in the first-of-its-kind agitational programme demanding winter capital in Tura.
Speaking on the occasion, Thomas M Marak, president of ACHIK Krima Council informed the participants that although winter capital in Tura has been an agreed policy of the pioneers of Meghalaya, it has just remained a distant dream with no actual policy for implementation yet to be done in 51 years of statehood.
Working president of ACHIK Krima Council, Macklawrence M Sangma, highlighted that in 51 years of Meghalaya’s statehood, many NGOs of Garo Hills aired and submitted memorandums on the issue. However, he said that this was the first time that the demand was being raised in such a manner.
Former GSU leader as well as former CEM of GHADC, PK Sangma, who also took part during the programme, informed that the winter capital has been the right of the Garo people as it was an agreement by all the leaders of the state during the statehood movement. He added that Meghalaya’s statehood is incomplete without the establishment of the winter capital in Tura.
General secretary, ACHIK Krima Council, Bernita R Marak, elaborated on the technicalities of the demand and clarified that when Tura is declared the winter capital, the town will be the capital for Legislative, Executive and Judiciary for six months.
Laben Ch Marak, former MCS and MPS, said that the agitational programme for winter capital is not a diversion tactics from the reservation roster as the ACHIK has been looking into the issue of the rights of the A’chik people. He pointed out that both reservation roster and winter capital are the rights of the A’chik people and that the organisation would not settle for less.
Leaders of various organisations like the GSU (Interim), GSMC, FKJGP, TGCSU, Mahindra Pik Up Union etc., were among others who participated in the programme.
Meanwhile, a decision to organise awareness programmes on the issue of winter capital in the coming days, in every district and block in Garo Hills was also taken during the meeting.
