GUWAHATI, March 5 - The Co-ordination Committee of the Tribal Organizations of Assam has called a 12-hour Assam bandh from 5 am on March 13 in support of their various long pending demands.
The decision was taken after repeated attempts of the tribal bodies failed to draw the attention of the State government towards a number of long pending issues, including filling up of a huge backlog of ST posts in various government departments, said the committee office-bearers here today.
�There are several humanitarian issues that require immediate attention from the Government of Assam and one of them includes the condition of the flood-affected tribal farmers of Laika and Dadhiya. Instead of rehabilitation measures, they are being targeted by eviction drives,� chief convener of the committee, Aditya Khaklari said.
The umbrella body of the tribal organizations also demanded voting rights in panchayat elections for the 535 families of Sonitpur and Biswanath districts. �There is a mixed population of Karbi, Mising, Bodo, Rabha and Adivasi people in both the districts, who can vote in the Parliamentary and Assembly elections. But, they are denied of their rights to vote in gaon panchayat polls on the pretext that they live in forest areas,� he said.
