Our Correspondent
Diphu, Nov. 19 (EMN): With the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh calling for tripartite talks with Bodo leaders on the issue of creation of a separate state for Bodos in Assam on Nov. 19, another group with similar demand has asked the union government to initiate a tripartite talk with them as well.
For about 30 years, a committee has been spearheading the demand for an autonomous state for Karbi Anglong and North Cachar Hills in Assam. Following the Bodoland talks news, the Autonomous State Demand Committee (ASDC) on Monday said that New Delhi should invite them to a tripartite talk on the issue of creation of autonomous state for Karbi Anglong and NC Hills.
On Nov. 18, the ASDC president Holiram Terang told a press conference at Diphu that despite the movement being more than 30 years ‘the union government is still neglecting the issue.’
“The hill people of Karbi Anglong and NC Hills are demanding what is there in the Constitution, where as the Bodos are demanding which is not there in the Constitution, still the union government is favouring the Bodo people. I am not against what the Bodo people are demanding, but I am condemning the Union government for neglecting the hill people here as they (union government) have adopted ‘pick and choose’ policy,” he said.
Also, he reminded, the current government in Assam had raised the issue of autonomous state just before the last parliamentary elections in the state. Now the government is on the verge of completing five years “but has not utter anything regarding the issue,” he said.
Terang urged the union government to immediately invite the leaders of ASDC for tripartite talks on the issue of autonomous state for Karbi Anglong and NC Hills.
