A CORRESPONDENT
KHERONI: In his maiden address as an MLA in the Assam Legislative Assembly, Dr Tuliram Ronghang, Chief Executive Member of the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC), strongly reiterated the long-pending demand for the implementation of Article 244(A) of the Indian Constitution to create an Autonomous State within Assam for the hill districts of Karbi Anglong, West Karbi Anglong, and Dima Hasao.
Dr Ronghang, who was elected from the 111-Rongkhang Legislative Assembly Constituency, highlighted that the aspiration for greater self-governance reflects the deep-rooted hopes, identity, and developmental needs of the people of the region.
“This is not merely a political issue; it reflects the hopes, identity and aspirations of our people for greater empowerment and self-governance,” Dr Ronghang stated in the Assembly.
He emphasised that the combined geographical area (10,434 sq km) of these hill districts was larger than several Indian states, including Goa, Sikkim, and Tripura. The demand, which has been alive for over four decades, has seen significant sacrifices, with more than 500 lives lost during the struggle for autonomy. Notably, over ten militant groups have laid down arms, joined the mainstream, and signed various Memorandums of Settlement (MoS) in pursuit of this goal.
Dr Ronghang expressed confidence that the current leadership in the state would address this longstanding demand. He specifically thanked Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma and appealed to all members of the house to extend their support for this ‘noble’ cause.
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