[caption id="attachment_110510" align="alignleft" width="550"]
Men folk comprising 24 organisations during the naked rally in Diphu on April 21.[/caption]
Our Correspondent
Diphu, April 21 (EMN): In another shocking incident, menfolk from 24 organisations in Karbi Anglong organised a naked demonstration in Diphu town today. The naked rally, which started from Rongnihang en-route to Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council Secretariat Office, was stopped by the district administration half way following an assurance by the SDO (C) to look into the matter.
The protestors have been demanding the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) to prepare a new council Act and Rule under Para-2 sub para-7 (a&b) of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution of India and to prepare a new electoral roll under para-20 of the Sixth Schedule.
Ratan Terang, president of United Karbi Students’ Association (UKSA) alleged that KAAC BJP government and State BJP government did not pay heed to the organisation’s demands.
“We are democratically demanding our right since last year to the very points. But the State BJP governments are suppressing the tribal of the hill people,” he alleged.
The organisations also alleged that Act and Rules for the conduct of council election have not been rectified adding the obsolete and defective rules of 1951 are still used by the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council and state government. Besides, it also accused the political leaders, who are in power in KAAC and in the State government, of indulging in corruption by embezzling public money and living an immoral life and showing off their riches at the cost of the poor schedule tribes.
“Since they are doing corruption nakedly and shamelessly, we are doing this naked demonstration,” stated Peterson Rongphar, president of People for People.
It may be recalled here that on July 15, 2004, Manipur women shocked the entire world who stood naked in front of the Kangla Fort in Imphal with a banner that read ‘Indian Army Rape Us.’ The ‘naked protest’ was against the murder and alleged rape of Thangjam Manorama by the Assam Rifles. According to the security forces, Manorama was a militant of the banned People’s Liberation Army.