26-09-18 Guwahati-CM meeting AKRSU (2)
Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal in a meeting with representatives of AKRSU and other sister organizations of Koch Rajbonshi community at Assam Administrative Staff College on September 26, 2018. Photo by UB Photos

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said that the Koch-Rajbongshi community played an important role in the formation of Assamese community and the State Government is committed to safeguard their language, culture and distinct identity.

He said this while a delegation of Koch-Rajbongshi organizations led by AKRSU met him at Assam Administrative Staff College of Khanapara in Guwahati on Wednesday.

The AKRSU leadership met the Chief Minister for the first time after unification of both factions of the students’ body and discussed with him issues related to Scheduled Tribe status for the community.

AKRSU president Arun Kumar Roy and its advisors Hitesh Barman and Pradip Roy underlined the democratic movement being carried out by the students’ body and other Koch Rajbongshi organizations for ST status and separate Kamatapur state as well as several rounds of talks being held with the Central Government in this regard.

The Chief Minister informed the delegation that the State Government is taking wholehearted efforts for scheduling the six communities including the Koch Rajbongshi and adopted several positive steps for fulfilling their demands.

He said that there are many technical aspects of the issue and several communities in India are also demanding for ST status.

Stating that the State Government is committed to provide social, political, cultural and economic security to all communities of the State and to empower them in all possible ways, the Chief Minister said that a cabinet sub-committee with three senior ministers was formed to relentlessly pursue the ST issue.

He also urged the delegation to maintain trust in the intentions of the Government and also appreciated the democratic movement being carried out by AKRSU and other Koch Rajbongshi organizations.

Industry and Transport Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary, Water Resources Minister Keshab Mahanta, Tourism Minister Chandan Brahma, Special DGP Pallab Bhattacharjya, Chief Minister’s secretary Ranjan Chakraborty were also present during the meeting.