HT Correspondent
SIVASAGAR, Jan 30: The 39th Triennial Session of the All Assam Tribal Sangha (AATS) at Katiori HS School Field came to an end on Monday night. The cultural procession in the forenoon session was participated in by troupes from Mising, Deori, Sonowal Kachari, Mech Kachari, Tiwa, Lalung, Boro, Naga, Rabha, Hajong, and most of the tribal communities.
The open session of the 39th Triennial Conference of All Assam Tribal Sangha (AATS) began with a dance performance by the Nyishi cultural troupe. Addressing the session as the chief guest, the Education and Tribal Welfare minister Dr Ranoj Pegu said that the tribal people of the state had to do a series of movements and stirs in the state demanding justice from the authority, and now the present government has been generous enough to listen to their grievances, and as many as eight Autonomous Councils have been formed for as many communities. It helps in delivering justice to every community through their own representatives. He added that a series of welfare schemes like the Basundhara Mission have added in a big measure to the welfare of the tribal population in every district. It was presided over by Sukumar Basumatary, president, AATS.
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Earlier, inaugurating the open session, the CEO of Rabha Autonomous Council, Tankeswar Rabha, paid glowing tributes to Jananayak Bhimbar Deori. In his speech, he said that the AATS has all along been working as the voice of the tribal people of Assam, highlighting their land problems, cases of discrimination against them, autonomy problems, and many other struggles of the tribal people in Assam. The present government, he added, has been proactive in solving the problems faced by the tribal population in the state. The present government has accorded constitutional status to the Deori Autonomous Council and Sonowal AC. Tribal people, he added, are protectors of forest land, and not encroachers, and hence the government would do well to grant them land pattas who are now in forest areas. AATS will continue to fight for their legitimate demands regarding land rights. Upper Assam people do not know the unbelievable aggression of immigrants and Muslims in Goalpara, Dhubri, Morigaon, etc., districts. The new rights and regulations set by the government. AATS has never shown any dislike or disrespect towards any other community or class of people. The stronger the tribal people, the stronger the state, he concluded.
The delegates’ meeting adopted some resolutions, including AATS’s opposition to granting ST status to the advanced and more populous communities in the state, which it feels will deprive the ST population of their legitimate rights and privileges guaranteed by the constitution. AATS demands adoption of strict measures to prevent non-tribal communities from grabbing lands in tribal belts and inclusion of tribal-dominated areas laying outside tribal belts. It also adopts a resolution demanding that the Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar SS School be upgraded to a degree college.
Atul Borthakur, principal, Katiori HS School, released the souvenir ‘Masenja’ published by the Reception Committee. The session was attended by Sushanta Borgohain, MLA, Thowra, LAC, Punaram Mili, president, reception committee, Krishna Kanta Mech, secretary, reception committee, Aditya Khaklari, secretary, AATS, Biju Pegu Mising AC, Pranobjyoti Mesrong, Tiwa AC, Nripen Khanda, Nikhil Rabha Student Union. Sanjeev Hajong, Hajong SU, Temson Teron, prez Karbi SU, Debajit Thengal, prez, Pradip Manse, Suen Modahi, Chandan Sonowal, Nongpiom Gamgi, Sinphow Janjati Unnayan Parishad, and several tribal and student leaders.
