Inclusion of Rabha Hasong under Sixth Schedule argue by Garo’s

SANTIPUR: Garo organizations have strongly opposed the inclusion of the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council area under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.

Garo National Council (GNC), Garo Youth Council (GYC), Garo Women’s Council (GWC), Garo National Union (GNU), Garo National Women’s Union (GNWU), All Assam Garo Representatives of several Garo organizations including Gaonbora Association (AAGGA), A’Chik Socialist Youth Front of India (ASYFI), Garo Mothers Union (GMU) and several others participated in a meeting at Santipur village under Chhaygaon LAC on Wednesday.
Rabha organizations including All Rabha Students Union, Rabha Women’s Council and Sixth Schedule Demand Committee also organized protest rallies, meetings and mass gatherings to demand the inclusion of RHAC territory under the Sixth Schedule to the Indian Constitution.
Meanwhile, on the issue of Rabha bodies protest, MLA Durga Das Boro raised a question in the Assam State Assembly session recently and it was answered by Assam State Minister Ronj Pegu that the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Will present the matter. Inclusion in Sixth Schedule within two months.
“We are taking the statements of Minister Ronuj Pegu seriously. The Garo people have opposed the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council from the beginning and we never want to be under the RHAC territory. But the state government is RHAC. The region wants Sixth Schedule. We have no problem if the government excludes us and our Garo-inhabited village from Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council and then gives them Sixth Schedule status,” said Arbitson Momin, President, GNC.

Arbitson Momin also said that about three lakh people live in the RHAC area, which is more than the population of Rabha. He also said that the RHAC area includes 779 villages, where more than 450 revenue and non-revenue villages are Garo-inhabited villages.
Asked about the reasons for the exclusion from RHAC, Momin replied, “Our culture, religion, historical background, social customs and food habits are different from the Rabha tribes. Another important issue is that the RHAC is only for the Rabha people and their K develops the village and not the Garo people and villages.Therefore, if the government takes decisions without thinking, there can be trouble.
More than 1000 Garo people from Kamrup and Goalpara districts and representatives of various Garo organizations participated in the meeting. The Garo organizations also formed the Garo Autonomous Council Demand Committee (GACDC) in the same session. The 16-member committee is chaired by Behnur K. Sangma and Brayana Mark is the secretary of the newly formed committee.
Behnur K Sangma, President, GACDC said, “We cannot live with the people of Rabha or in RHAC. There are three different tribes in Meghalaya and due to lack of understanding, the three tribes have their own divisions. 6th schedule autonomous council. So how can Garo people living in Assam live under RHAC? If we live in RHAC under 6th schedule then future generations of Garo tribe will be in danger and we are never like that can let it happen.
“We will meet the Assam chief minister and the cabinet sub-committee on this issue and we will tell them that we want a separate Garu Autonomous Council before RHAC gets sixth schedule status. We will inform them about our issues. will also give a memorandum and we are sure that our Chief Minister will understand the matter”, added Behnur K Sangma.