Assam: Tiwa bodies stage sit-in demanding inclusion of TAC into Sixth Schedule

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: Three Tiwa organizations staged a two-hour sit-in in support of their seven-point charter of demands.

The demands are: (i) the state government to send a proposal to the Central Government for the inclusion of the Tiwa Autonomous Council (TAC) into the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India, (ii) exclusion of tribal belts and blocks and TAC areas from the Assam State Capital Region Development Authority Act, 2017, (iii) implementation of the Tiwa Language Agreement signed in 1997, (iv) making tribal belts and blocks free from encroachment, (v) inclusion of Tiwa-dominated villages that were not included in the TAC at the time of issuance of the notification into the TAC, besides the preparation of the electoral roll before the TAC election, (vi) the creation of a regional autonomous council for the Tiwas living in the Karbi Anglong district, and (vii) according ST status to the Tiwas residing in Meghalaya, and the Assam government to take up the matter with its Meghalaya counterparts.

Three Tiwa organizations-the All Tiwa Students' Union (ATSU), the All Tiwa Protection Committee (ATPC), and the Tiwa Women Council (TWC)-sent their memoranda to the Chief Minister through their local administrations.

In January this year, the State Cabinet took the decision to send a proposal to the Central Government for providing constitutional status to Tiwa, Rabha, and Mising autonomous councils. The Tiwa Autonomous Council was formed in 1995. The Tiwa organisations demand the state government send the proposal to the Centre for constitutional status to the TAC as decided by the Assam Cabinet. They also demanded the government hold tripartite talks on this issue.

As many as 268 Tiwa revenue villages fall under the Assam State Capital Region Development Authority Act, 2017. "With the government giving more powers under this Act, it will pose a threat to the Tiwa Revenue villages falling under the capital region as the TAC is not backed by the Constitution of India. For the greater interest of the language, culture, and land rights of the Tiwas and other STs and indigenous people of the state, the government should scrap this Act," they said.

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