More discussion necessary on Clause-VI report, says CCTOA

GUWAHATI: The Coordination Committee of the Tribal Organizations of Assam (CCTOA) on Tuesday said that it is necessary to readdress the recommendations in the high-level committee's report regarding the implementation of Clause 6 in the Assam Accord.

Addressing the mediapersons, CCTOA chief coordinator Aditya Khaklary stated that the body had submitted a memorandum to the high-level committee with a slew of demands. However, most of their issues mentioned in the memorandum were not included in the submitted report, he said.

In this regard, the tribal organizations' body held a meeting on Tuesday and decided to place the demands in the Union Home Ministry to resolve their issues.

Highlighting their grievances, Khaklary said land patta should be given to the tribal people who are already residing on a plot of land. Among other issues, the CCTOA seeks 15 per cent reservation in the Lok Sabha, Assam Legislative Assembly, corporations, schools, colleges, jobs etc for people belonging to plain tribes.

"Except reserved ones, 102 seats should be reserved in the Assam Legislative Assembly and 12 in the Lok Sabha. The seats should be fully reserved for the indigenous Assamese people, indigenous tribals and other indigenous communities," said Khaklary.

Further, the body demanded autonomy to the tribal areas surrounding the Tirap border and ST communities like – Mech, Hajong, Modahi, Saraia Kachari, and Barman Kachari. It also urged the government to set up a North-East tribal university in Guwahati.

Among other demands, All Bodo Students' Union (ABSU) president Dipen Bodo, who was also a part of the meeting, urged the government to implement The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006.

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