DIBRUGARH: Activists of the All Assam Matak Yuba Chatra Sanmilan (AAMYCS) staged a 3-hour sit-in protest at Chowkidinghee Chariali in Dibrugarh seeking ST status for six communities of Assam and a permanent solution to the ULFA-I militancy problem.
The protest demonstration was led by its central committee president Ranjit Gohain and general secretary Dharani Gogoi AAMYCS raised slogans against the BJP-led government for its failure to solve the Ulfa issue and the delay in granting Scheduled Tribe status.
AAMYCS president Ranjit Gohain said, “We want a political settlement to the Ulfa issue. There has been only half-hearted efforts to solve the problem as a result of which hundreds of youths have lost their lives in the last four decades. Even now there has been a constant flow of youths to join the Ulfa. We have seen the bloody 90s and we don’t want those days to return. We appeal to both the government and ULFA-I to come forward for a permanent and peaceful solution to the Ulfa issue.”
He added, “We have been forced to hit the streets since there is no clarity about the issue regarding granting of ST status to the six communities namely Matak, Tai Ahom, Koch Rajbongshi, Sootea, Moran and Tea Tribes.”
“It was a poll promise of the BJP. Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi had mentioned it during his election campaign in Assam. We want a clear statement from the Centre on this issue”, he concluded.