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FHASM leaders addressing a press conference at ASDC office
in Diphu town on Tuesday. (EM Images)
- DIPHU — The Forum
for Hills Autonomous State Movement (FHASM), a conglomeration of various
political parties and social, students and women organisations, have called for
a 24-hour bandh across Karbi Anglong, West Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao
districts on May 13.
- The bandh has been called in protest against the central
government’s delaying tactics to implement Article 244 (A) of the Constitution
of India for granting of autonomous state for the three hill districts of
Assam.
- The bandh will start from 5 am of May 13 to 5 am of May 14.
Also read: All Party Hill Leaders Conference stages sit-in against panchayat elections in Karbi Anglong
- This was informed by the general secretary of Autonomous
State Demand Committee (ASDC) and former chief executive member of Karbi Anglong
Autonomous Council (KAAC), Jotson Bey, during a press conference held at ASDC
central committee office in Diphu town on Tuesday.
- He informed that FHASM, an umbrella body comprising All
Party Hills Leaders Conference (APHLC) of James Hanse faction, ASDC, Karbi
Students’ Association, Karbi Nimso Chingthur Asong, Women Karibi Students’
Association, ASDC-Youth Front, APHLC-Women Central Executive Committee, United
Karbi Youth Association (UKYA), Ex. UPDS Welfare Society and Phuloni Youth
Development Committee (PYDC), would jointly launch the bandh in their demand
for an autonomous state.
- “Despite over five decades of political assurance and
repeated memorandums, the legitimate constitutional rights of the indigenous
tribal people of the hills remain denied. This bandh is a symbolic and
democratic protest against the Government of India's continued delay in
implementing Article 244(A) of the Constitution of India, enacted in 1969 to
create an autonomous state within Assam for the hill tribes of Karbi Anglong
and Dima Hasao,” Bey said.
- The FHASM has been demanding the Government of Assam and the
Government of India to fulfil their constitutional, moral and political
responsibility by immediately initiating the process for the implementation of
Article 244(A).
- Bey informed that emergency services including medical,
fire, ambulance, electricity, press/ media and all examination-related
activities (including school examinations) would be exempted from the purview
of the bandh.
- He made it clear that the bandh would be non-violent,
democratic and peaceful.
- “We urge all public transport operators, business
establishments, educational institutions and offices to voluntarily observe the
bandh in solidarity with our constitutional demand. We also appealed to all
citizens, students, civil society organizations, political parties and
democratic forces to support this bandh as a stand for constitutional justice,
tribal dignity and democratic rights,” the ASDC general secretary stated.
