TURA:
Sending out a strong message that the several lakh Garos residing in Assam will oppose any attempt to include them inside the Rabha Autonomous Council and are instead seeking nothing short of a Garo Autonomous Council for the tribe, thousands of Garos attended a public rally at Bakrapurgaro village in Goalpara district on Monday to demand the same.
Making a strong pitch for the creation of the Garo Autonomous Council, leaders, and supporters from several Garo organizations in Assam, including AHAM Assam state zone, Garo Youth Council (Assam), All Assam Garo Gaonburha Association, Garo Mothers’ Union (Assam), Garo Students’ Union (Kamrup), A’Chik Border Association, Garo National Union (Assam) joined the several thousand tribal villagers in the protest meeting where the Chief Convenor of the Garos Demand Committee Bryan Marak stated that Garos must have a separate Autonomous Council of its own in Assam within the framework of the Indian Constitution for shaping their own destiny in respect of political, socio-cultural ethnicity, and education.
“Provision for separate Administrative Power to the tribals living in India as provided in the Schedules V and VI of the Indian Constitution is an instance in this regard. For the holistic development of this region, it is imperative on the part of the Government of Assam to take cognizance of the matter and acknowledge the rights of the Garos and take necessary initiatives in demand of Garo Autonomous Council on satellite basis in Assam,” stated Marak.
The leaders pointed out that the Garo community is the second largest ethnic tribe after the Bodo community in Assam.
“Only by fulfilling the demand of a separate Garo Autonomous Council in Assam can the aspirations of the Garo community in Assam be addressed where we can covet to preserve their unique culture, tradition, and language.”
Earlier, attempts had been made to include entire Garo-dominated villages spread across the vast Goalpara and Kamrup districts of Assam into the Rabha Autonomous Council which was vehemently opposed by the Garos who refused to be placed under governance by another community within their own land.
The Demand Committee Chairman, during Monday’s rally, stated that it is imperative on the part of the Government of Assam to take cognizance of the matter and acknowledge this right of the Garos and take necessary initiatives to create and fulfill the demand of Garo Autonomous Council in Assam and keeping the morale of the Garo people on a higher note and do justice to the Garos of Assam for the welfare and development of the Garo community is a positive initiative towards this cause.
Hailing the Assam government’s decision to protect the rights and privileges of the Garo tribe, Marak said, “Attempt for self-governance within the framework of the Indian Constitution with a view to establishing the ethnic identity and development appears to be the reason for the democratic movement by the Garo Community which is the second largest among all the tribes in Assam. The Garos are one of the indigenous tribes, “son of the soil” who must be given the freedom to assert and determine the universally accepted principle of the right to political self-determination.”