Shillong, Dec 02: The delegation of the Khasi Jaintia Development Council demand Committee of Assam today met the Meghalaya Chief Minister Mr Conrad K Sangma and submitted memorandum requesting him to take up with the counterpart Government of Assam for Creation of the Khasi Jaintia Development Council in Assam.
Speaking to the media after meeting the Chief Minister Mr Sebastian pakyntein president of the KJDCDC said that the meeting was positive as the Chief Minister assured them that he will take up with the Chief Minister of Assam and the Chairman of NEDA Mr Himanta Biswa Shama on their behalf for their demand of separated KJDC in the state of Assam.
The Khasi Community in Assam has demanded for creation of “Khasi Jaintia Development Council” in the state of Assam, for and in the greater interest of the vulnerable indigenous Khasi-Jaintia tribes living in the state of Assam especially in the Barak valley region South Assam.
The population is more than 1.70 lakhs with more than 375 villages and living in most interior part of the region far away from the main stream and concentrated in all the three District of Barak valley to almost all the 15 Constituency in the Barak region.
The demand for the creation of the KhasiJaintia Development Council, in Assam have been taken-up by the previous Congress Government and the same have also been placed at the Assam state level Cabinet Sub-Committee held on dated 07th Jan 2015.
It is worth mentioning here that the Govt. of India, Ministry of Tribal Affairs (C&LM-I Division) Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi, dated the 15th December 2014 have directed the then Commissioner & Secretary Department of Welfare Plain Tribes and Backward Classes (WPT&BC), Govt. of Assam, Dispur to take appropriate action for creation of the said “Khasi-Jaintia Development Council”.
But the then State Government have turn thier deaf ears to our longstanding legitimate demands in addressing and promoting our socio-economic, education, ethnic and cultural grievances to provide maximum participation in advancement within the framework of the Constitution of India.
Despite having all the historical primitive trades’ characteristic and traditional customary practices that existed since the 18th century to till date, our tribe and community is still being neglected, deprived for which our existence was indeed very deplorable, pitiable and at sub-standard conditions, lacking behind from many basic amenities of livelihood.
The KJDCDC request Meghalaya Chief Minister to take up with the counterpart state Chief Minister of Assam Mr. Sarbananda Sonowal as to consider our legitimate top-most priority demand for fulfilling the plight of the indigenous in constituting and creating of “Khasi-Jaintia Development Council”, in the state of Assam.
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