AKRSU decries Oram’s statement, reiterates demand for ST status

A CORRESPONDENT

LAKHIMPUR, June 17: “The people of Koch-Rajbongshi community have been fighting democratically in order to attain tribal status since 1967. As a result of it, a proposal was taken for granting the tribal status to the community in 1996. Though an ordinance regarding the proposal was notified for four times in the Parliament thereafter, it has not turned into an act due to political conspiracy. The Congress party ruled the State for 15 years and betrayed the community. Then the BJP came to power in the State promising to settle the problem by granting the community tribal status. But the party has initiated no move to keep its promise. Instead, ministers are making frivolous statements. The statement made by Union Minister Jual Oram is shameful,” said Dipak Borah, the president of the Lakhimpur district unit of All Koch Rajbongshi Students’ Union (AKRSU) on Saturday.

Addressing a press meet at North Lakhimpur Press Club, the State president of the organization, Arun Kumar Rai and Dipak Borah, became vocal against the Union and State BJP governments regarding their agitation to demand tribal status which has allegedly been ignored by both the governments year after year. They slammed the governments in this regard and vowed to carry on their agitation till their demand was fulfilled. They also vowed to carry on their agitation in order to ger the greater Kamatapur State.

He appealed to people not to keep connection with the AKRSU committee formed by Rupjyoti Dutta. “The two committees of AKRSU were unified in 2012 at a meeting held in the auditorium of the District Library in Bongaigaon. In this meeting, several office bearers of AKRSU were expelled for being involved in unconstitutional activities. Rupjyoti Dutta of Lakhimpur was one of them. His family collected the certificates of Koch community in 1996 changing their community identity from Keot to Koch in the land records of North Lakhimpur Circle Office in association with the Circle Officer and lot mandal concerned. So, he was expelled from the organization. Then he formed another committee of AKRSU with Golaghat as head office,” said Borah.

He added, “The committee has no connection with AKRSU’s demand for ST status for the community. Rupjyoti Dutta is misleading the people.” Assistant scretary Puren Rai, education and social service secretary Hiranya Patgiri and State executive member Mukul Borah were also present in the press meet. The State president declared that the organization would prohibit the entry of BJP leaders in the Koch community areas unless tribal status was granted to the Koch community before the forthcoming parliamentary election.