Karbi bodies carry out nude protest

As stated in local English daily 'The Assam Tribune' : DIPHU, April 22 - As many as 24 Karbi bodies comprising UKSA, NNKRAA, SSIC, KARAA, RNSU, DSU, KNA, KFA, KSYA, PFP, KASDO, UHDO, KAHTSCA, GGKSA, NKSA, TKSA, LKSA, SKSA, GKSA, JKSA, DKSA, Bangalore Karbi Society, Biswanath Chariali Karbi Students Association jointly launched a nude demonstration at Diphu town on Friday, demanding fresh electoral roll to be prepared by Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council before elections. It may be mentioned here that hundred youths took out a nude procession starting from Karbi Club around 12.30 pm taking banners and placards and shouting slogans, the protest demonstration covered almost two kilometres through the stadium road of Diphu town. A large police and paramilitary contingent led by the Additional Superintendent of Police obstructed them and put a cordon round the unclothed group. Later, police and a magistrate of Karbi Anglong Deputy Commissioner’s office convinced them to put-on bare minimum clothes and steadily pushed back the exited group after almost 1.5 hours naked revelation. As per their demands, the Act and rules for the conduct of council election have not been made and because of the obsolete and defective rules of 1951 are still used by the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) and the State Government. The protesters claimed that the non tribal immigrants have taken away the political power of the schedule tribes, guaranteed by the Constitution of India. Hence, the sixth schedule tribes who were covered with protective law are now politically naked, hence this naked demonstration. They also alleged that due to disobedience and dilution of the provisions of the Sixth Schedule, all government funds for development, government job, land, trade and commerce reserved by the sixth schedule under paragraph 20 have been snatched away by the illegal Bongo Sena and foreigners and as a result, the tribal people in the rural areas have been reduced to abject poverty. The tribal people living in the urban areas are rapidly becoming poor and they will have no clothes to wear, hence this naked demonstration, the another protester said. They further alleged of corrupting of public fund sanctioned for development by the KAAC body led BJP and as well as State Government. It needs to be mentioned that the demands basically has stipulated for the modification of the existing Assam Autonomous District Council (Constitution of District Council Rules) 1951 which actually came to existence in accordance to an executive order no TDA/R/23/51 dated October 15, 1951. According to the order passed by Tribal Affairs Department of Assam Government mentioning that the Governor of Assam shall make rule for the first seating of the then Karbi Anglong District Council and subsequently the elected members of the District Council will make rule for the statuary body themselves. The whole matter has been described well in the para-2 and sub Para 6 of the Constitution of District Council Rules. It is quite outlandish to imagine that the present Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council which has customized itself into present higher category in its 66 years journey is till following the same executive order and has not amended its own constitution.