AATS rakes up Tumung kidnap case, wants probe by NIA

GUWAHATI: The All Assam Tribal Sangha (AATS) has raked up three different issues – promotion of ST/SC employees on the basis of seniority, NIA investigation of kidnapping of Prasanna Turung and his wife Komai Turung in 2007 and the creation of Tirap Tribal Autonomous District Council (TTADC).

Addressing the media in Guwahati on Thursday, AATS secretary general Aditya Khakhlari said, "Promotion of SC/SC employees has not been regular in the State. The departments of Home and Water Resources have been depriving SC/ST employees of promotions terming the August 3, 2016 directive issued by the WPT & BC as defective one. However, on March 12, 2002 said that was no hurdle in the promotion of SC/ST employees. The SC and ST Welfare Committee of the Assam Legislative Assembly did approve amendment to the August 3, 2016 directive issued by the WPT & BC. However, the State government hasn't amended the directive still today. This has led senior most SC and ST employees not being promoted. If this continues, the presence of ST and SC employees in top posts in all departments will come at stake. The ST and SC employees have already taken the matter to the court. We want the Chief Minister to intervene into the matter."

On the kidnapping of tribal leader Prasanna Turung and his wife Komai Turung by unidentified miscreants on April 8, 2007 from Margherita town, Khahklari said, "Political leaders were involved in the kidnapping. The case is being investigated by the Assam Police. The CBI has stopped investigating the case on the pretext of not getting concrete evidence. The culprits have been roaming freely. An influential Minister during the Congress regime and others put pressure on the CBI to stop the investigation. We, therefore, demand the case to be investigated by the NIA (National Investigation Agency)."

Khakhlari further said, "The Tirap Tribal District Autonomous Council (TTDAC) should be formed by including the Tirap Belts and tribes such as Khamyang, Phakey, Nocte, Singpho, Khamti, Sema, Tangsa who had come to settle in the area during the 16th century, at the time of reign of the Ahoms. The Tirap Autonomous Council Demand Committee has long been agitating for the creation of TTDAC. We want that this demand should be met to protect the language and culture of the tribal people there."

He said that on these three demands the AATS, All Assam Sonowal Kachari Students' Union, Tirap Autonomous Council Demand Committee, Pan Singpho Students' Union, All Assam Tangsa Students' Union, All Assam Sema Students' Union and All Man (Tai-speaking) Students' Union submitted a memorandum each to the Chief Minister, Finance Minister and the WPT&BC Minister on September 29 and 30, 2020."

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