Koch Rajbonghis observe ‘deception day’

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, Jan 27: The All Assam Koch Rajbongshi Sanmilani (AAKRS) oberved Pratara Divas (Deception Day) in the city today. It was on January 27 in 1996 the then President of India, through an ordince, had accorded ST status to the Koch Rajbongshis of Assam. The Ordince, however, didn’t get the passage in Parliament even after its renewal for as many as four times.

AAKRS president Dr. Durlab Chamua and general secretary Bireswar Saikia said in a statement issued to the press today that January 27 continued to haunt them as a black day. “Even after renewal for four times, the Ordince failed to get its passage in Parliament even after its renewal for four times. What else can be a bigger deception than this?” they questioned.

They further said that as prime ministerial candidate in the last Lok Sabha election in the country rendra Modi had promised the Koch Rajbongshis of according them ST status within six months of coming into power. “However, three years have elapsed, but the Central Government is now talking of changing the modalities for according ST status now. Depriving us of ST benefits on the pretext of changing modalities may backfire,” they said, and added: “In 2002 the NDA Government did include as many as 142 communities, barring the Koch Rajbongshis, into the ST list in the country. We demand of the Centre to grant ST status to the six ethnic groups of the State immediately and declare Assam as a tribal state.”

The two AAKRS leader also demanded of the government to ensure political rights of the local people of Assam by reserving 80 per cent of the LACs in the State for them. “In order to save the local populace from the immigrants, inner-line permits should be implemented in the State in line with galand and Aruchal Pradesh,” they said. They also demanded of the government to give up the idea of privatization of oil fields in the State and the river linking project.