SILAPATHAR, July 21 � The Takam Mising Porin Kebang (TMPK) and All Mising Students� Union have demanded Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi to include Mising Autonomous Council (MAC) under Sixth Schedule, publish the delimitation of MAC constituencies, hold democratic election as early as possible and not to constitute any interim body of the MAC.
In this regard, TMPK, TMMK and MMK has been continuing their democratic agitation since a decade. Lastly, the students organisations observed sit-in-demonstration programme in subdivision and district headquarters of the State and submitted memorandum to Chief Minister. The organisations took out torch light rally for their charter of demands.
The TMPK, representatives organisation of the Mising community leading the autonomy movement demanded to construct MAC as an effective democratic institution for all round development of the MAC area and all section of people residing within MAC irrespective of caste, creed, community and religion.
The MAC have functioned for almost sixteen years on ad-hoc basis with members nominated by the State Government who functioned without any accountability to the people. Allegation of corruption have been levelled against the members. So, the public now demanded that no more interim council be formed with nominated members. The MAC was constituted by Assam Government by enacting an Act in the Assembly on June 14, 1995 and since then it has been running on adhoc basis till date.
The TMPK expressed that no action has been taken on the report of the Cabinet sub-committee constituted by Assam Government in 2003 to examine the demand for inclusion of MAC in Sixth Schedule of Indian Constitution. The Mising inhabited areas which are compact and contiguous along the river Brahmaputra and Subansiri also deserves to be included in the Sixth Schedule.
The MAC, after amendment of the Act in 2005, provides for constitution of core area and satellite areas with 50 per cent ST population as a whole in the area and provides for equal status to all Scheduled Tribes and also protects the rights and privileges. So, the TMPK, MMK and TMMK urged upon the State Government to recommend the Union Government for inclusion of MAC in Sixth Schedule.
Moreover, the Mising organisations have already supported the MAC (Amendment) Act, 2005, which provides for constitutions of Core Area and Satellite Area of MAC. There should be 50 per cent ST population as a whole in the Core and Satellite area. The representatives of Mising organisations also arrived at an understanding with Assam Government in 2005 that pending grant of the Sixth Schedule, but the democratic election to the MAC would be held under the present State Act.
In this regard, a list of villages was also notified and the process of constituency delimitation was started. But the matter was dragged to the Gauhati High Court by some opponents.
At present the Gauhati High Court has already disposed of all such cases filed against the MAC and the State Assembly has passed for MAC polls along with Rabha Hasong and Sonowal Kachari. So, the Mising community, Mising organisations and the people of all communities in general under MAC demanded urgent action to solve the decade long problem.
