Assam's Rabha community set deadline for council polls date

Soon after four major ethnic communities of Assam launched a stir to stress their demand for separate states, the Rabha community are now all set to assert their rights - demanding a time-bound schedule for polls for their area's autonomous council.

The Rabha Hasong Joint Movement committee, a joint platform of all communities living in Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council (RHAC) area, Monday set a deadline of Sep 30 to the Assam government to spell out date for RHAC elections - not been held for last 18 years.

The organization have also decided to restrict holding of any rallies, public meetings and procession by the political parties in the RHAC areas till the elections to the RHAC are held properly.

The committee criticized the role of the state government in delaying the process in conducting the council elections and vowed to move Supreme Court if needed if no step is taken by the state government to conduct elections at the earliest.

"The RHAC was constituted on the basis on the Rabha Hasong Accord signed in 1995. However, there had been no elections to the council for last 18 years," said Tankeswar Rabha, president of the All Rabha Students' Union (ARSU) and a member of the Movement Committee.

"It's very unfortunate and against democracy that the state government has willingly delaying the process even after declaring the voters list for the 36 constituencies on Aug 31 this year. But the government has sought two months time from the Gauhati High Court to stay away from the process," Rabha said.

"If the government do not take any measures to hold the elections in the Rabha Hasong area, we will launch a series of agitation besides moving the court seeking justice," he said adding that the committee would launch series of agitations including blockades, shutdowns, sit-ins from October this year if their demands were not met.

The Bodos, Koch Rajbongshis and the Karbis and Dimasas rocked the state for more than last two months on their statehood demands till the central government held tripartite talks with the organizations earlier this month.