SHILLONG, MAR 23: The Garo Hills State Movement Committee (GHSMC) appeal to electorates of Garo Hills region to vote for a political party which has the Garoland demand listed in their election manifestos in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections slated on April 9.
“The creation of a separate Garoland can only be a solution to retain peace in Garo Hills region,” GHSMC chairman Nikman Ch. Marak said in a statement issued on Sunday.
Asserting that demand for separate state can only be achieved through the political means, Marak said that the GHSMC appeal to the entire supporters for the creation of Garoland State to exercise their franchise for such political party having Garoland demand in their election manifestos.
He also said that the recent address made by veteran political leader PA Sangma on the need to review the demand of separate Garoland is welcomed by the committee.
According to him, the statehood demand is a political demand and the creation of new states is power reserved solely for the parliament of India.
“If veteran leader like PA Sangma be elected as MP from Garo Hills and if he sincerely works on it then we are hopeful to see new chief minister and centre representative, Governor in Garo Hills,” it stated.
Marak lamented that hundreds of Garo brothers sacrifice their lives for the great motherland but none of the governments takes the sentiment of the Garos seriously and instead, they underestimate us by saying “why the handful of Garo people need separate state.
“We are not a handful of people in the world representing 2 (two) MPs internationally, one in India (Meghalaya) and another in Bangaladesh. Besides, the Garos are living in West Bengal, Nagaland, Tripura, Dubri, Goalpara, Kamrup, Karbi Along, BTCs districts of Assam but we have been divided politically,” Marak stated.
He further reiterated that the demand for Garoland state is not against any individual or a group but it is their birth right to get own state and to preserve their identity.
Stating that the issue is a long standing demand of the Garos first raised by Sonaram R. Sangma the first political leader of Garos in 1900s during the British rule, he said that it was after the independence the first political party of the Garos, known as “The Garo National Council”, (G.N.C), was formed in 1946. On May 16, 1947, the GNC submitted a memorandum to Gopinath Bordoiloi, then Chairman of the Constituent Assembly Sub-Committee to include the Garos living outside the Garo Hills District Council in the list of Scheduled Tribe.- By Our Reporter
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