GUWAHATI, Dec 20 � A meeting between the Government and different organizations of Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council area today failed to break the deadlock on holding of Panchayat elections in the council area and the All Rabha Students� Union (ARSU) has asserted after the meeting that the agitation against holding of panchayat polls in the area would continue.
Talking to The Assam Tribune after the meeting, Government spokesman and Agriculture Minister Nilamani Sen Deka said that the Government today assured the organizations of the Rabha Hasong area that the Government would hold the elections to the Council in April. The Government made it clear that the Panchayat polls would be held all over the State except for the Sixth Schedule areas and sought the cooperation of all organizations for the holding of the polls.
The Government was represented in the meeting by Revenue Minister Prithibi Majhi, Transport Minister Chandan Brahma, Agriculture Minister Nilamani Sen Deka and Minister in charge of welfare of plains tribes and backward classes Rajiv Lochan Pegu apart from senior officers.
Meanwhile, the ARSU president Tankeswar Rabha said that the meeting did not yield any result as the Government was not sincere in holding of the polls to the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council. He said that the Government today held the meeting as it was concerned only on holding of the Panchayat polls.
Rabha said that 17 years have passed since the Council was created and till date, the Government failed to take steps to hold the polls. He pointed out that as per the accord for creation of the Council, the Council is a local self Government and if Panchayat elections are held in the area, there would be clash of powers. He said that the ARSU has already called for a 36 hour bandh in protest against holding of Panchayat polls from January 3 and the movement would be intensified in the days to come.
The meeting today was also attended by office bearers of the coordination committee of different ethnic groups of the Rabha Hasong area.
Meanwhile the Janajati Smriti Jagaran Samiti, Assam has demanded immediate steps to hold elections to the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council and the Mising Autonomous Council.
In a statement here today, the Samiti has also demanded steps to hold elections for forming the Gaon Sabhas of the Deori Parishad.
