'Demand for separate State does not mean secession'

FROM A CORRESPONDENT

GAURISAGAR, September 13 : The Department of Political Science of Swahid Maniram Dewan (SMD) College, Charing in Sivasagr district organized a two-day long UGC sponsored tiol semir on ‘Demand for separate State and North East India’, in collaboration with North East India Political Science Association (NEIPSA). The semir concluded on Saturday.

The iugural function on the first day was chaired by Pratap Chandra Kakoti, noted educationist and president of the College Maging Committee. The semir was iugurated by Adil  Uddin Yasin, former Professor, Dibrugarh University. In his speech Professor Yasin said that the demand for separate State was an important one in context of socio-political scerio of Northeast India. Dr Noni Gopal Mahanta, Professor, Gauhati University and president, NEIPSA gave the key note address of the semir. Addressing the gathering, Dr Mahanta said that demand for separate State did not mean secession. There was no guarantee to establish democracy after creation of separate State, he said, and also pointed out that after long-standing demand, States were created like Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, and Jharkhand which were now facing challenges to continue their development. Dr Mahanta also opined that in me of reformation of States, the map of Assam had changed many times which was rare in any other State of India.

The dignitaries who attended the iugural function were Deulish Chakrawati, Professor, North Bengal University, Dr KC Das, Professor and Head, Department of Political Science, Assam University, Diphu Campus, Dr Saumar Jyoti Mahanta, Principal, Sibsagar Commerce College, Dr Bolin Hazarika, Professor, JB College and former Principals Bhaba Kanta Bharali, Chandra Kamal Hazarika.

In the two-day semir 40 participants took part and read out their papers on the topic’ Demand for separate State and North East India’ and sub themes like ‘Politics of demand for separate State’, ‘Regiolism and demand for separate State’, ‘Terrorism and the movement for separate State’, ‘Socio-economic development and the demand for separate State’.