GUWAHATI, Nov 17 � The Assam State Council of the Communist Party of India today submitted a 13-point memorandum to the Prime Minister demanding immediate steps to curb price rise, settling of inter-State boundaries of Assam, recognition of the six agitating ethnic tribes of Assam as scheduled tribes, protection of the tribal belts, ensuring of the constitutional rights and guarantees of the SC and ST communities, continuing with the practice of allocating ten per cent of the budgetary grants of all the Union ministries for infrastructure development of the North-east as has been the practice since 1996, updating of the National Register of Citizens, among other issues.
The CPI further called for resolving the militancy problem through discussion with the ultra outfits, building national economy through utilization of locally available resources, issuance of periodic land settlement rights (patta) to the aboriginal people on the land under their occupation including agricultural land, initiating a national policy for granting old-age pension to peasants, agricultural labourers, small artisans who are 60 years of age or above irrespective of gender, protecting the rights of women, including protection of the girl child from child abuse, provincialization of venture educational institutions, and repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act.
�The common people of Assam are being subjected to various long-standing grievances which have not been resolved due to the apathy of the Government of India. Since the CPI is sincerely endeavouring to find out ways and means for solution of these pressing concerns, the common people in thousands, irrespective of their political views, organizations, ethnicity, castes and creeds, language, class and status, have put their signatures into this mass petition,� it said.
The CPI also urged the Prime Minister to consolidate the peaceful democratic atmosphere of the State by taking appropriate measures and controlling anti-social, communal and separatist forces with a firm hand.
