The Garo National Union (GNU) has asserted that the indigenous Garo Scheduled Tribe of Goalpara and Kamrup districts in Assam have legitimate right to have their Garo Autonomous Council as opposed by several Rabha organisations, including the All Rabha Students' Union (ARSU).
GNU president Obinash D Sangma in a press release today said the Assam government's decision to accord Garo Autonomous Council to the "most underprivileged and down trodden backward Garos was just, legal and fair for protection and preservation of their social and cultural identity, ethnicity, language, besides for their education and economic development."
"The statements of the Rabha Union and ARSU opposing the government's decision have no legal basis and cannot be sustained legally and Constitutionally as Garos and Rabhas are the equal citizens of the country and governed by the Constitution," Sangma said.
"The Rabhas in 1995 were accorded Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council (RHAC) including the Garo settled areas of the two districts in violation of the rule of law of audi alteram partem (listen to the other side) as enshrined in Article 14", he claimed.
"The Rabhas have no right now to raise any opposition or protest that Assam government should not accord Autonomous Council to Garos without consulting Rabhas.
The Rabha friends should not have any wish that the Garos be discriminatively treated in respect of their legal and Constitutional rights in respect of their permanently settled territories," the GNU added.
As six tribes - Mising, Rabha, Tiwa, Deori, Sonowal Kachari and Tengal Kachari - were accorded Autonomous Councils, the Garos in Goalpara and Kamrup districts have the legitimate right to have their Garo Autonomous Council in line with that of RHAC, the release said.
Several organisations, including the ARSU, have threatened to launch agitation programmes from January 20 if the proposed Garo Autonomous Council was created from the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council area as further division of the RHAC would lead to tensions between various ethnic groups there.
