GUWAHATI, Jan 21 � The Asian Centre of Human Rights, a public charitable trust and another have filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) case (No. 6/2011) before the Gauhati High Court challenging the inaction and negligence on the part of the authorities in taking steps for stopping the recent ethnic clashes between the Garo and the Rabha communities living in the Assam�Meghalaya border areas.
Besides, the issue of discrimination on the part of the Governments in implementing various policies for relief and rehabilitation in respect of the internally displaced persons in India has also been raised by the petitioners.
In the PIL, the petitioner stated that the Govt. of Assam has announced some whimsical and discriminatory rehabilitation packages for the victims of Rabha and Garo ethnic clash. The Central Government has also not treated the internally displaced persons of North East equally as to that of the Kashmiri Pandits.
They also stated that the Government has not given similar assistance to the internally displaced persons of India including the Garos and the Rabhas, who are citizens of India in comparison to the assistance provided to the Sri Lankan Tamil refugees.
The Division Bench of the Gauhati High Court comprising Chief Justice Madan B Lokur and Justice H. Baruah today heard the PIL (No. 6/2011) but did not pass any order in the matter. However, during the course of hearing, the Court sought some suggestions towards measure for implementation etc. from the petitioners� end and fixed the case on February 24 next.
Suhas Chakma, the petitioner in person along with S.K. Medhi, Advocate, appeared for the petitioners while B. Goyel, Government Advocate appeared for the State Government and Union of India was represented by Central Government Standing Counsel.
