GUWAHATI:
The demand for Sixth Schedule status to the existing Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council (RHAC) got louder in Rabha Hasong.
With a population of 4 lakh, the community leaders have now demanded the Union government grant Sixth Schedule status of the Constitution of India to the existing RHAC to check influx from Bangladesh.
The RHAC was constituted by the Assam government in 1995 with its headquarters at Dudhnai town. The jurisdiction of this council extends up to Rani area of Kamrup district and embraces almost the entire district of Goalpara
On Thursday, a protest rally was taken out by the All Rabha Students’ Union (ARSU), All Rabha Women Council (ARWC) and Sixth Schedule Demand Committee (SSDC) covering 50 kilometres from Kenduguri village of Boko (Kamrup district) to Dudhnoi (Goalpara district).
The rally was led by Kamrup district committee of ARSU through 22 km stretch the National Highway 17 from Boko to Dhupdhara while Goalpara district committee led the rally through a 28 km stretch of the highway from Dudhnoi to Dhupdhara.
Both the teams joined together at Dhudhara.
Kamrup District’s movement was led by Nripen Khanda, President, ARSU and Goalpara District’s movement was led by Pradip Rabha, General Secretary, ARSU.
The protestors also demanded the transfer of powers and functions from the state government to the RHAC as per clauses of the Rabha Accord.
They also demanded the creation of a development council for Rabhas living outside the RHAC area.
More than 5,000 people of Rabha, Bengali, and Gorkha communities joined the rally at Dhupdhara, where the leaders of ARSU and its sister organisations addressed them.
The leaders also announced that there would be a mass gathering of Rabhas in Dudhnai on April 9 and in Boko on April 3.
RHAC executive members Sumit Rabha, Aditya Rabha, vice president Ramakanta Rabha, ZPC vice president Komburam Rabha, ARSU organization secretary Ankur K Rabha, ARSU Kamrup district president Ananda Rabha and many other leaders took part in the mass rally.
“Sixth Schedule status is one of our long-standing demands. We want it for the protection of our identity and culture,” said Nripen Khanda, President, ARSU.
On March 17, the student body took out a torchlight procession on NH 17 to pressurize the administration to fulfil its demand.
Presently, Rabha Hasong Joutho Sangram Samiti is in power in the RHAC in alliance with BJP. Of 36 members of the council, 35 are from Rabha Hasong Joutho Sangram Samiti and are lone members of the BJP.
Despite being an ally of the ruling party, the Rabha Hasong Joutho Sangram Samiti is not happy with the saffron party.
“The Rabha Hasong Joutho Sangram Samiti has been in an alliance with the BJP since 2016. They have assured us to fulfil our two demands – to accord RHAC as Sixth Schedule status and constitution of a development council for the Rabhas residing outside the RHAC area,” Khanda said.
“The two demands figured in the poll promises of the BJP. However, we have realized that the government has not taken any steps towards that end But the government is not walking the talk in the fulfilment of our demands,” he added.