AKRSU reiterates demand for ST status, burns effigies

A Correspondent

TANGLA, June 15: The statement made by Tribal Affairs Minister, Juel Oram, that it takes four decades to grant ST status to a community and hence there’s little hope for fulfilling the demands for ST status, has drawn sharp reaction from the All Koch Rajbongshi Students’ Union (AKRSU). The activists of AKRSU Udalguri district committee along with those of Tangla and Bhergaon in reaction to the statement and reiterating its demand for ST status, blocked the Mangaldai-Bhutiachang road and burnt effigies of Tribal Affairs Minister, Jual Oram, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal near Tangla HS school on Friday.

Slogans raised by the activists like ‘No ST no rest’, ‘BJP go back’ rented the air. AKRSU vice-president Dibyajyoti Kumar Deka questioning the government stated how long will the government betray the people of State. Deka also criticized the government for making false promises regarding fulfilment of their demands within six months from coming to power. “We demand creation of our historic Kamatapur State for securing the political and social rights of the Koch-Rajbongshi community,” said, general secretary of Udalguri district committee Hemanta Bora Koch.