GUWAHATI, Sept 16 � The Garos living in Kamrup and Goalpara districts of the State have come up with the demand for an autonomous district council for their uplift. The Garos living in these parts of the State were granted the Scheduled Tribe (Plains) status in 2002. They have been opposing inclusion of their villages, numbering about 390, in the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council. Their population number around three lakh.
Addressing a press conference here today, president of the Garo National Council (GNC) Benedict Areng, its general secretary Suhitson Sangma and president of the Kamrup district committee of the Garo Women�s Council (GWC) Jemmy Marak said that their organisations have lodged complaints with the State Government against the bid to include their villages in the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council.
Reasoning, they said that this would ruin their language, culture and customs and their virtual obliteration as an ethnic entity, as has been witnessed in the cases of the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council and the Bodoland Territorial Council.
. The Garos are matrilineal people and the property rights in the Garo society are vested with its womenfolk. The Garo language was recognized by the authorities concerned way back in 1923, they said.
