AAKSU slams Sarbanda, Samujjal

‘Tribal Sangha, Jajati Suraksha Mancha

should read history’

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, Dec 31: Stating that some elements are not happy with the move to accord ST status to the six ethnic communities of the State, the All Assam Koch Students’ Union on Thursday cautioned them not to act against the ethnic communities.

In a statement to the media, Baishb Koch, general secretary, AAKSU slammed Union Minister of State and State BJP president Sarbanda Sonowal for his double standard on ST status to the six ethnic communities and said, “Sarbanda Sonowal is maintaining double standard. When he talks to us, he says that the process of according ST status has almost been completed and on the other hand, he is instigating the Tribal Sangha and the Jajati Suraksha Mancha to oppose it. We caution him to refrain from such activities and urge him to work in the interest of the State and the people instead.”

Koch further said that if Sonowal continues with his double standard, soon the people of the State will term him as ‘Khalyak’ and will cease the title of ‘Jatiyayak’. Refuting the statements of Tribal Sangha and Jajati Suraksha Mancha where it said that the six ethnic communities doesn’t fulfills the criteria laid down by the Union government for ST status, Koch said, “The Koch community fulfills all criteria laid down by the government. We appeal the leaders of Tribal Sangha and Jajati Suraksha Mancha to study some history instead of speaking without any base.”

The AAKSU leader also slammed AASU chief adviser Dr Samujjal Kumar Bhattacharya and said, “Recently the Dr Samujjal Kumar Bhattacharya attended a meeting convened by the Tribal Sangha and attended by 17 other tribal organizations. In the meeting Bhattacharya not only opposed ST status to the six ethnic communities, but also supported the move of the Tribal Sangha to approach the Supreme Court against ST status. We urge him to refrain from such activities. If he continues to do so, AASU will lose its mass base in the State.”