Assam: Garo organizations oppose inclusion of RHAC area under sixth schedule

Garo organizations, including Garo National Council (GNC), Garo Youth Council (GYC), Garo Women Council (GWC), and Garo National Union (GNU), among others, have strongly opposed the inclusion of the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council (RHAC) area under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution. In a meeting held at Santipur village under Chaygaon LAC on Wednesday, representatives from various Garo organizations expressed their dissent.

The demand for inclusion in the Sixth Schedule by Rabha organizations, such as All Rabha Students' Union, Rabha Women Council, and Sixth Schedule Demand Committee, has led to protests, rallies, and mass gatherings. In the recent Assam State Assembly Session, MLA Durga Das Boro raised a question on the matter, and the Assam state minister Ronuj Pegu replied that the cabinet subcommittee would submit a report on the inclusion within two months.

"We are taking Minister Ronuj Pegu's statements very seriously. From the very beginning, we Garo people have opposed the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council. We never want to live under the RHAC area. Nevertheless, the State government wants to give the sixth schedule status to the RHAC area. We have no problem if the government excludes us and our Garo inhabited villages from the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council and then gives them the Sixth Schedule status," said Arbitson Momin, President of GNC.

Momin further pointed out that the Garo population in the RHAC area is nearly three lakhs, which is more than the Rabha population. He also emphasized that the culture, religion, historic background, social customs, and food habits of the Garo tribe are distinct from those of the Rabha tribe. Momin added, "RHAC only develops the Rabha people and their villages, not the Garo people and villages. So, if the government takes decisions without consideration, it will be in danger in the coming days."

In the meeting held in Santipur village, more than one thousand Garo people and representatives from various Garo organizations from Kamrup and Goalpara districts participated. In response to the situation, the Garo Autonomous Council Demand Committee (GACDC) was formed, with Behnur K Sangma as the chairperson and Brayan Marak as the secretary.

"We cannot live with the Rabha people or in the RHAC. In Meghalaya, there are three different tribes, and due to the lack of reconciliation, all three tribes have their own separate sixth schedule autonomous council. So, how can we Garo people living in Assam live under the RHAC? If we live in the RHAC under the Sixth Schedule status, the future generations of the Garo tribe will be in danger, and we can never allow this to happen," said Behnur K Sangma, President of GACDC.

"We will meet the Assam chief minister and the cabinet subcommittee on this matter, and we will let them know that we want a separate Garo Autonomous Council before the RHAC gets the Sixth Schedule status. We will also present them with a memorandum about our problems, and we are confident that our chief minister will understand the matter," added Behnur K Sangma.