Assam Opposition to Meet Governor Over Karbi Anglong Violence

A joint delegation of opposition political parties in Assam will meet the Governor on Wednesday, December 31, to submit a memorandum over the recent violence in West Karbi Anglong district.

The move comes after opposition leaders carried out an on-the-spot assessment of the situation in the district. The development was confirmed by the Leader of the Opposition in the Assam Legislative Assembly, Debabrata Saikia.

Saikia said an appointment with the Governor has been sought for 4 pm. He alleged that the state government has failed to maintain law and order, leading to the death of two persons in Kheroni and injuries to several others.

According to Saikia, the opposition delegation will demand compensation, as per government norms, for the families of those killed and injured. The memorandum will also seek a proper assessment of the damage caused during the violence and relief for those affected.

The joint delegation includes Congress MLAs Shivamani Bora, Bhaskar Baruah, Diganta Barman, Wajed Ali Choudhury, Nurul Huda, Rashid Mandal, Rakibuddin Ahmed and Pradip Sarkar; CPI(M) MLA Manoranjan Talukdar; Raijor Dal MLA Akhil Gogoi; senior AJP leader Jagadish Bhuyan; senior Congress leaders Pradyut Bhuyan, Ghana Chetia, Nasir Khan, Raman Jha and Suman Kalyan Bora; West Karbi Anglong District Congress president Augustine Inghi; senior Congress spokesperson Rupak Das; Cherisma Rongpipi; Raijor Dal leader Russell Hussain; and CPI(ML) leader Bibek Das.

After visiting the district, the opposition parties alleged that the violence was not spontaneous and claimed there was a political conspiracy behind the incidents. They accused the ruling establishment of following a “divide and rule” approach by creating divisions between hill and plain regions and among different communities and tribes for electoral gains.

Speaking to reporters, members of the delegation also drew comparisons with West Bengal, alleging that while the BJP often demands President’s Rule there over minor incidents, no decisive action has been taken despite Assam witnessing serious violence. They claimed the government led by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council failed to control the situation.

Saikia further alleged that widespread irregularities and corruption under the Chief Executive Member of the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council, Tuliram Ronghang, had contributed to an atmosphere of unrest in the district.

He said issues related to PGR-VGR land must be examined carefully during eviction drives and called for a thorough probe into the arson incident at Ronghang’s residence. Saikia also demanded that the subsequent demolition of the house using bulldozers by Ronghang’s family members be included in the investigation.

Also Read: Bhumi Adhikar Sangram Samiti Holds Press Conference On Tribal Land Rights in Karbi Anglong