Chutiyas oppose Bill, demand ST status

By our Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, Nov 8: The All Chutiya Jati Sanmilan todat staged dhar at Dighalipukhuripar in the city in protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, and the failure on the part of the government to accord ST status to the six ethnic groups on the State – Chutiyas, Morans, Mottocks, Tea Tribes, Koch-Rajbongshis and Tai Ahoms. This apart, the Sanmilan also raised the demand for ming the Bogibeel bridge over the Brahmaputra as Sadhani Setu. It said that the then Chief Minister Hiteswar Saikia did assure them of ming the bridge after Sati Sadhani. Another demand that bears significance is preservation of all monuments of the Chutiyas in Aruchal Pradesh and Assam and uplifting them as tourist spots. The Sanmilan is going to send a memorandum to the Prime Minister on their demands and stage a dhar at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on November 10. They said that if their demands were not met, they would resort to vote against the BJP in the forthcoming bye-polls in the State. Other organizations that took part in the dhar today are Sadou Chutiya Jati Mahila Sanmilan, Asom; Sadou Asom Chutiya Chatra Santha; Chutiya Juba Sanmilan, Asom and Sadou Asom Chutiya Chatra Santha.