Staff reporter
DIPHU, Sep 16: The Joint Coordination Committee for Protection of Autonomy (JCCPA) today called a meeting of all opposition parties at the Karbi Anglong Sarkari Gaonbura Association office in Diphu. The meeting was convened to discuss three issues of the present time – inter-state boundary dispute, the allotment of 18000 bighas land for solar project and the increase in land revenue.
JCCPA leader Khorsing Teron informed TDE that all members of various parties present in the meeting showed disappointment over the KAAC’s move to give land for the solar project, the Govt. of Assam’s ‘Give and Take policy’ with Meghalaya and also the increase in land revenue rates by the Land Revenue Department of KAAC.
“If there is any wasteland, KAAC can give it for the solar project, we have nothing to say, but the cultivable land of villagers should not be included in the project. About 12000 bighas of the land area which the KAAC is willing to surrender to the project belong to Karbis, so it is Karbis that will bear the burden,” said Karbi Anglong District Congress Committee Vice President Raton Ingti.
Raton Ingti lambasted the KAAC leaders for the cowardly act in the ongoing West Karbi Anglong and Meghalaya land boundary issue. He said that KAAC is simply making claims that they will not surrender even an inch of land, but in reality, they have remained silent observers since May. “Their silence shows that they are ready to accept the decision of the Govt. of Assam,” he said.
Ingti also said that the recently concluded delimitation process is wrong as several polling stations in West Karbi and the eastern part of Karbi Anglong have been transferred from their old constituencies. On the increase in land revenue, he said that it will only give problems to Karbis as they have large land areas in possession.
Former MLA Holiram Terang said that in the meeting no political agendas were discussed. “We have discussed the four issues of the present day and all parties have agreed to jointly protest and pressurise the KAAC and the Govt. of Assam to set things right,” he said.
Today’s meeting was attended by leaders of TPCA, AAP, CPI(ML), KSU, ACFI, ASDC, KSA (Jemson), KSA Semson), KUYA, KNCA, KFA, KADCC, KRAA, KNCA and RYA.