HT Bureau
DIPHU, April 12: The Autonomous State Demand Committee (ASDC) and allied organisations staged a protest at Semson Sing Engti Memorial Park here demanding the removal of AFSP Act from the hill districts, not to trouble the people in the name of creating Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZ) and solving the Assam-Meghalaya border problem based on the Constitutional border.
The ASDC along with frontal organisations, viz., Karbi Students’ Association (KSA) and Karbi Nimso Chingthur Asong (KNCA) staged the protest on Tuesday afternoon at park.
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Participating in the protest the president of ASDC, Chandra Kanta Terang said, “The solution on the border talks between Assam and Meghalaya should be on the basis of 1951 Constitutional border. This talk has been politicised. The proposal to create ESZ around Kaziranga National Park, Elephant Corridor and Tiger Project which will cover Socheng Dhenta and Duar Bagori Member of Autonomous Council (MAC) constituencies should not affect the indigenous people.”
He further said, “If the schools, colleges and agricultural land falls under ESZ the situation will become like in the Sundar Bans. In Sundar Bans their human rights have been violated. Many husbands have died due to difficulties creating the need for even a widow’s association. In the name of ESZ the indigenous people of Karbi Anglong, who may be a Karbi or not a Karbi, should not be affected.”
Terang said that AFSP Act 1958 is cruel which has been implemented in NE. In Assam, AFSP Act in 9 districts, including Karbi Anglong, West Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao. He wants the government to have a reason for it. The law & order is with the state government. There is no reason to keep it. The state government has said that peace had returned in the hill districts then why hand it over to the army. It is being politicised. AFSP Act should be removed from Karbi Anglong, West Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao immediately.
