Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and AICC chairperson Sonia Gandhi have assured to look into the Statehood demand of the people of Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao districts of Assam.
Chief Executive Member (CEM) of the Dima Hasao Autonomous Council Devajit Thousen said that after meeting both the leaders in New Delhi, he met the Prime Minister and the AICC chairperson along with a delegation including members of the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council.“Both the PM and AICC chairperson have assured us that they would look into the matter. However, both have told us that peace and normalcy is a must for any talk in this regard,” said Thousen, who have appealed to all concerned for restraints in the two hill districts.
The Karbi Anglong district of Assam have turned into cauldron of violence since last Wednesday with agitators demanding Statehood status to the hill district in the lines of Telangana. A 100-hour bandh was also called in the Dima Hasao demanding Statehood.Militant outfit Karbi Peoples liberation Tigers (KPlT) had also called a bandh for 12 days to intensify the Statehood demand starting August 5. After the development, it is expected that the situation will turn to normal in both the hill districts.
Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Wednesday appealed to the leaders of All-Koch Rajbongshi Students’ Union to suspend and call off their agitation demanding separate Kamatapur State. Gogoi has also convened a meeting with the Bodo organisations, who had been spearheading Statehood movement in BTAD areas of Assam.
A statement issued by the Chief Minister’s office informed that the Chief Minister had assured the AKRSU leaders that he would facilitate talks between the AKRSU, the Prime Minister and the Home Minister in this regard.
On the issue of demand for Scheduled Tribes (Plains) status for the community, Gogoi said that the government has been all along vigorously pursuing the matter with the Central government. The Chief Minister also assured the AKRSU leaders that the government would actively consider their various demands which include an engineering institute at Bongaigaon, allotment of land for Bir Chilarai guest house at Guwahati, immediate construction of Bir Chilarai Sports & Cultural Complex with a research centre at Bongaigaon.