Lanka: The Hojai District Unit of the Bharatiya Gana Natya Sangha has strongly condemned the recent incident in West Karbi Anglong. The organization expressed serious concern over the treatment of Karbi protesters and demanded immediate and appropriate action by the Assam government.
Addressing a press conference in Lanka on Sunday, Advocate and member of the Hojai district’s Bharatiya Gana Natya Sangha, Bharat Tamuli Phukan stated that the unfortunate incident occurred due to the failure of the government and the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) to respond to the legitimate demands of the Karbi people.
He said that despite the Karbi protesters observing a continuous hunger strike for several days, the authorities neither initiated dialogue nor took any constructive steps.
Bharat Tamuli Phukan also stated that such actions reflect a lack of sensitivity towards democratic movements, stressing that the Karbi people have been demanding the protection of their constitutional rights, including their right to land, natural resources, language, and culture.
Phukan said, “The incident that has occurred in the sixth schedule area is condemnable and very dangerous. We could see that even though the protesters launched hunger strike for several days, neither the state government nor the KAAC tried to hear to their grievances. As a result, the unrest occurred in Karbi Anglong. Following this, a section of people termed the Karbi community as “Chinese” and also launched “go back” slogans against them. We believe that this kind of an incident should not have occurred.”
He further added that the government must take responsibility for safeguarding the rights and security of indigenous communities like the Karbis. According to him, the ongoing Karbi movement is justified and deserves support from all democratic and cultural organizations.
“The people of the district have protested to safeguard their indigenous lands and assets, also their culture and traditions. This is important to keep their community alive. We fully support the Karbi people’s movement and request the state government to take steps to resolve the issue as soon as possible. Their demand is for protection and dignity, not conflict. Also we want that action is taken against those people who have termed the Karbis as ‘Chinese’,” Phukan said.
The press meet concluded with an appeal to the authorities to immediately review the situation in West Karbi Anglong, withdraw repressive measures, and ensure justice, safety, and constitutional rights for the Karbi people.