A Garo organization in Assam, the All A’chik Youth Federation, has demanded for a separate council for the Garo community living in Assam.
The federation have several units across Garo Hills of Meghalaya argued that other tribes residing in the region have been given such privileges.
In a press statement released on Thursday, the president of the Assam zone of the federation, Crossbell Marak, stated, “We want to ask the Sarbananda Sonowal Government in Assam to acknowledge the presence of our Garo community who has lived for generations in the region by setting up the autonomous council for Garos.”
The federation cited the example of the creation of separate councils for the Mising, Tiwa, and Sonowal tribes in the State and called for the same for the Garos of Assam.
“Many of our fore fathers have sacrificed their life during the freedom movement and we question as to why the Assam Government has diluted the contribution of the Garo people. While our Boro brothers are the largest tribal population, the Garo community is the second largest tribal population in Assam,” revealed Marak in the press statement.
The federation also clarified that the demand for a separate council is to ensure the tribe’s culture, language and tradition are preserved.
“We are the majority community in Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council (RHAC) but we are not getting any development from the RHAC,” the statement further alleged.
The statement also claimed that the Garos have a long history in Assam and have been living here since before British rule.
The president of the federation also asserted that the Assam government takes immediate action regarding the demand of the Garo community.