Agreement to have two parts- political and development ** Karbi language to get recognition
HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, June 5: It is not the autonomous state, but the module of Karbi Anglong Autonomous Territorial Council (KAATC), which the Union government will prefer in the final peace pact to be signed with the six rebel outfits of Karbi Anglong in New Delhi in the next week.
“The peace agreement will be signed very soon,” Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) chief executive member (CEM) Tuliram Ronghang told reporters here on the sidelines of a plantation drive taken out by the forest department on the occasion of World Environment Day at Arboretum-cum-craft centre here.
According to a report, chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma during his recent visit to New Delhi had finalised the modalities of the final accord with Union Home minister Amit Shah.
However, the draft of the final agreement is yet to be circulated to the representatives of the rebel organisations.
Contrary to the demand of the social organisations, the Centre is giving importance to grant more political powers and an economic package to the hill district under the final accord other than implementing Article 244(A) of the constitution of India for an Autonomous State for Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao.
“Autonomous State is a big issue. It has to be discussed with all sections of the people of the three hill districts before taking a decision,” intelligence sources here said.
“We are not giving importance to nomenclature, but we are looking for more political power under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India,” said Rijak Dera, the publicity secretary of Karbi Longri North Cachar Hills Liberation Front (KLNLF).
The agreement will be signed on the basis of the charter of KLNLF, which has been in ceasefire with the government since 2010.
However, apart from KLNLF, the final agreement will also be signed by five other rebel outfits- People’s Democratic Council of Karbi Longri (PDCK), United People’s Liberation Army (UPLA) and three factions of Karbi People’s Liberation Tiger (KPLT).
“Following Covid-19 protocol, one representative from each organisation will sign the accord in the national capital,” sources in the state home department said here.
The agreement will have two parts- political and development.
Under the agreement, more powers will be handed over to the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC). Even as the Centre had signed a memorandum of settlement (MoS) with the United People’s Democratic Solidarity (UPDS) for upgradation of KAAC to KAATC, the bill was not taken up by both the houses of Parliament, due to which the proposal has been ineffective.
However, the economic packages under the MoS have been granted to the council in later years.
This time, the Centre is likely to take up a KAATC like model for final settlement of the grievances of the rebel outfits of the hill district, sources here said.
The strength of the council may also go up from 26 to 44 after the 125th amendment to the constitution of India.
Under the proposed agreement, the Karbi language will also be included into the Eight Schedule of the constitution.
In addition to this, the Centre is also planning to increase the plan allocation for the hill district under the final peace accord.