KANCHASDCOM holds sit-in at Jantar Mantar

Our Correspondent

Diphu, Aug. 8 (EMN): A sit-in was held at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Monday led by Karbi Anglong NC Hills Autonomous State Demand Committee (KANCHASDCOM) and supported by various organisations of Karbi Anglong, West Karbi Anglong and NC Hills to pressurise the Central government for immediate implementation of Article 244(A) of Indian constitution and granting autonomous state.

The sit-in began from 10 am to 1.30 pm., where more than   members of KANCHASDCOM, KSA, Karbi So-arlo Amei, Karbi Riso Adorbar, Karbi Adorbar, Tiwa Adorbar, Karbi Unemployed Youth Association, Dimasa Students’ Union, Dimasa Mothers’ Association, Jadikhe Naisho Hoshom – Dimasa apex body and Dimasa Women Society participated in the demonstration.

MP Horensing Bey said, “If Prime Minister Narendra Modi could scrape Article 370 of Indian constitution of special provision for Jammu andKashmir, then there is no difficulty for him (Prime Minister) to implement Article 244(A). The members of ‘Team Karbi Anglong’ have already met the Prime Minister, other MPs and with the Ministry of Home Affairs, as the BJP government at the Centre will very soon implement the small state agenda.  Before the Winter Session of Parliament begins ‘Team Karbi Anglong’ will again meet the Central government”.

Bey further said that despite signing of MoU in 1995, MoS 2011 and MoS 2021, the Central government understands that these are not the immediate solution for the hill tribes of Assam. The demand for Autonomous state through the democratic process should continue, the MP said.

President, KANCHASDCOM, Ajit Timung said the provision of Article 244 (A) was made in the constitution in 1971, but despite having the provision, the successive governments at the Centre were not interested. On December 26, 1988, and on July 25, 1989, the KANCHASDCOM, KSA, and DSU held a ministerial talk and on 23 April and September 24, 2002 held a Secretarial-level discussion with the Central government. On August 5, 2016 the former MP Birensing Engti placed a private member bill on the Assam Re-organisation (Karbi-Dimanchal ) bill (Bill No.146 of 2016). We are demanding that the bill should be taken up by a resolution in the next winter session of parliament.

Timung, urging all sections of people to support the immediate granting of an Autonomous State, said, “We should not point at each other, but rather work together in achieving it. It is 37 years now and it is time we come together for achieving our common goal as an Autonomous State.”

“What we have come to know is that before the MP election the BJP government at the Centre is going to create 50 more states. We should not miss the chance this time,” Timung said.

A memorandum addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah was submitted by MP Horensing Bey on behalf of the people of Karbi Anglong, West Karbi Anglong and NC Hills demanding a bill should be taken in the next winter session of Parliament about Article 244(A).