JORABAT, Oct 22 - A huge rally was organised by six Amri Karbi organisations of Dimoria region today in protest against the Assam government�s ambitious plan to develop a state capital region (SCR) by merging neighbouring areas of Guwahati.
Nearly 1,000 people, mostly tribals, gathered at Sonapur to register their protest against inclusion of tribal belt areas in the proposed Assam State Capital Region (ASCR). The rally was organised by six Amri-Karbi organisations as the plan has not gone down well with the tribal residents of Dimoria region that has been proposed to be included in the extended boundaries.
The leaders of these organisations alleged that the plan to uproot the tribals from their ancestral land in the name of development would pose a threat to the identity of these people in the long run.
They also pointed out that most of the areas in Guwahati city, within which the State capital Dispur is located, were tribal areas, but were taken over by the government or other people when the capital was shifted from Shillong to Dispur.
The protesters expressed apprehension that further expansion of the capital region to the other tribal areas would cause massive dislocation of the indigenous people and their rights.
A joint memorandum was also submitted to the Chief Minister through the Sonapur Circle Officer by the six Amri-Karbi organisations namely Amri Karbi National Council (AKNC), Amri Karbi Students� Union (AKSU), Amri Karbi Arloso Asem (AKAA), Amri Karbi Bangthe Asem (AKBA), Amri Karbi Tsornam Ahartsi (AKTA) and Amri Karbi Ruktsak Asem (AKRA).
It may be mentioned that the Assam Assembly had passed the Assam State Capital Region Development Authority (ASCRDA) Bill 2017 by voice vote to set up the regional authority for preparation of a plan for rapid development of the SCR, that comprises the districts of Kamrup (Metro), Kamrup, Nalbari, Darrang and Morigaon fully or partly.
