Our Correspondent
Diphu, Nov.16 (EMN): Various students, civic and social organisations of Karbi Anglong organised a sit in demonstration for 4 hours from 10 am to 2 pm in-front of Semson Sing Ingti Memorial park on Thursday at Karbi Anglong.
While talking to Eastern Mirror correspondent, Ranjit Kramsa, President, All India Students Association (AISA) informed that ‘we oppose extension of Nagalim to Karbi Anglong as per Framework Agreement with Centre and NSCN(IM) on Aug. 3, 2015 on immediate implementation and creation of Autonomous State under Article-224(A) of the constitution of India and Scrap of Clause-8 of BLT accord signed on Feb. 10, 2003 that we are not against any community but we are demanding out rights.’
During the demonstration, the organisations submitted a memorandum to Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh, through the deputy commissioner of Karbi Anglong .
The memorandum mentions that, Nitin Gadkarji, Union Minister and senior BJP leader in an election meeting at Diphu, promised for implementation of Article-244(A) in 2016 and that Union Minister Arun Jaitley had also released BJP’s vision document at Guwahati on March 25, 2016 which, however had not mention about Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao. The said document was published as advertisement in all major dailies published from Guwahati thereby leaving no room for anyone to miss the ignored Hills State Issue, added the memo.
The memorandum also mentioned regarding Nagalim and the agreement signed on Aug. 3, 2015 between centre and the Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN- IM) in Delhi. The aim of framework agreement is to fulfil the aspiration of Naga people to recover the land of Naga inhabited area, this is called the territory of Nagalim, the memo said. Also the NSCN(IM) leader as explained in the historical account of Nagaland in Assam in page 12 of Chapter 5, states that the area transferred out of Naga territory to Assam in sector Sector (C) areas 282.76 Sq. Miles and Sector (D) area of 1430.40 sq. miles also include the area of Karbi Anglong 7399 Sq.km. and Dima Hasao district as a whole.
It further stated, “we are not against Naga people, we are not against Nagalim within present Nagaland state territory, but we will not favour the expansion of Nagalim to Karbi Anglong area at any reason because Karbi having themselves won territorial kingdom since immemorial time, as a result had declared Mikir (now Karbi) homeland track of country on Feb. 24 1826 on the day of treaty of Yandaboo.”
Moreover, on May 24, 2016, the union cabinet decided to grant Schedule Tribes (Hills) status to the Bodo and Bodo Kacharies living in Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao. This move was vehemently opposed at the signing on the Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) on the Feb. 10, 2003 and the then National Democratic Alliance (NDA) later on United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government stating it unnecessary to implement clause -8 of the said MoS of the 2003 which record. “The government of India agreed to consider sympathetically the inclusion of the Bodo of the Bodo Kacharies living in Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao Autonomous Council area in the ST(Hills) list of the state of Assam”, added memorandum.
Moreover, the government of Assam, too, consider it prudent not to pursue the matter as it would upset the Schedule Tribe (Order of 1950) to the detriment of the Schedule Tribes (Hills) who are more backward and insular than the Schedule Tribes (Plain). The sudden decision of the union cabinet to grant Schedule Tribes (Hills) status to Bodo Kacharies living in Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao, without so much taking into confidence has aggravated the already fragile situation and they may turn the situation even more volatile, added Memorandum.
The memorandum was jointly submitted by AISA, Hills Committee, Revolutionary Youth Association, Hills Committee, Youth Alliance Against Corruption , Karbi Anglong Development Association, Cherap Cheto Farmers Committee, Unemployed Youth Union, Karbi Student’s and Youth Assembly (Progressive) and Karbi Anglong Kisan Shramik Sabha.
