Boko: Several Garo Organisations, including the Garo National Council (GNC), Garo Women Council (GWC), Garo Youth Council (GYC), and Garo Autonomous Council Demand Committee (GACDC), among others, convened a press conference at Santipur village in Boko-Chaygaon Assembly Constituency in Assam on Friday.
The press conference, attended by leaders such as GNC Advisor Franklin Sangma, GNC President Enindra Marak, GYC President Manseng Marak, GWC President Laprosti Sangma, and GACDC Convenor Piyush Marak, aimed to address the challenges faced by the Garo community in Assam.
Advisor Franklin Sangma highlighted the pressing issues confronting the Garo community during the conference. He emphasized the community’s significant presence in Assam, with over 8.5 lakh individuals, making them the state’s second-largest tribal community. Despite their sizeable population, Sangma underscored the ongoing struggle for recognition and representation in various spheres, including socio-political and economic domains.
Sangma reiterated the Garo community’s longstanding demand for an Autonomous Council to address cultural, economic, land rights, and customary law issues, which remain unaddressed even after 75 years of independence.
GNC President Enindra Marak acknowledged the challenges posed by the ongoing delimitation process and border realignment with Meghalaya. He stressed the need for the Garo community to forge alliances with other tribal groups and communities to assert their legitimate aspirations effectively.
Marak highlighted the recent declaration of Boko-Chaygaon and West Goalpara Assembly Constituencies as Scheduled Tribe (ST) Reserved Constituencies, offering opportunities for Garo representation in Assam’s legislative bodies. He urged the Indian National Congress to recognize and advocate for the Garo community’s demands, ensuring their participation in decision-making processes.
Addressing concerns of electoral malpractice, Sangma condemned alleged violations of the model code of conduct by BJP workers. He urged the BJP to refrain from such activities and expressed the Garo community’s reluctance to support the party due to perceived actions against the Christian religion.
Sangma lamented the lack of response from Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma regarding the Garo community’s demands for an Autonomous Council, contrasting it with the attention given to other communities.
Sangma appealed to the Indian National Congress to address the grievances and aspirations of the Garo community by fulfilling their demand for an Autonomous Council and ensuring equitable representation in governance structures.
More than 1.3 lakh Garo voters are expected to cast their votes in the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections.
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