Garo organizations call for chakka bandh today

Boko: Seven Garo organizations in Goalpara and Kamrup districts of Assam have called a 12-hour chakka bandh on Wednesday in protest against the government’s apathy towards their long-pending demand for an autonomous council for the community in the State.

The organizations comprising Garo National Union (GNU) and seven other Garo groups had recently met at Hudakona near the Assam-Meghalaya border and decided to impose the bandh from 5 am on September 12. It is long-standing demand of Garo people, especially after being included in the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council. The Garos of Kamrup and Goalpara districts have been demanding exclusion from RHAC and separate autonomous council for Garo people. They demanded total 239 villages - 85 from Kamrup districts and 154 from Goalpara district. They also challenged the RHAC Amendment Act in Gauhati High Court and the Supreme Court of India. Most of the Garo people claim that the RHAC Act was unconstitutional and so the RHAC would be declared unlawful by the court.

“We will not support the chakka bandh announced by some Garo organizations,” said Anindra Marak, president of Garo National Council, Kamrup district. The Garo National Council and its sister organizations claimed that some expelled Garo National Council (GNC) Assam State zone leaders had given the call for chakka bandh on September 12.

“It is just a conspiracy to tarnish the good image of the Garo National Council (GNC) Assam State zone. It is an act of frustration by disgruntled expelled former leaders to malign the good image of the Garo National Council, Assam State zone and GNC Kamrup,” he added.