The situation in the two hill districts, which has been turbulent for the past three days due to indigenous people seeking to inhabit and obtain land in the protected forest areas, has somewhat calmed down. However, there is still a palpable tension throughout both hill districts. In the Karbi Anglong district headquarters of Diphu, which was completely shut down for the past two days, today shops and markets have opened up, and autos have been observed plying the roads.
The situation in Diphu city has been observed to be somewhat normal, although there are still reports of closures in various parts of the district. Today, the district administration and police have held multiple meetings with various organizations and groups primarily to restore peace. Additionally, different organizations have also conducted several press conferences to state their positions.
After the protests that followed an attack by a section of the Bihari community on a group of Karbi Students’ Association and regional political party ASDC Youth Wing protestors in Kheroni, West Karbi Anglong on the 15th of February, life in Diphu city is gradually returning to normal. Today, the leadership of the APHLC Youth Wing addressed a press conference, strongly condemning the incident and also criticizing local MAC Pawan Kumar and local MLA Rupsing Teron. The leadership of the youth organization stated in the press conference that such a violent incident has occurred.
The two representatives did not approach the public. Questions were raised about their involvement with the organization of the Bihari community, the RNSHS. Additionally, the student organization demanded the resignation of MAC Pawan Kumar . On the other hand, the regional party ASDC expressed strong dissatisfaction through a press conference regarding the incidents in Kheroni that were being circulated on social media, and called upon the district administrations of both districts to regulate social media.
The party’s president and former MLA Chandrakanta Terang stated that they have been campaigning for an autonomous state and that during the return from a protest demanding the eviction of people living in VGR and PGR by the brother organizations of their party, the Karbi student association and youth wing, the people from the Bihari community had attacked them. He asserted that living on grazing land is irregular and just as they have the right to seek land pattas, they also have the right to protest against it.
However, taking the law into one’s own hands for this is unconstitutional. It is also alleged that a section of people are trying to give a communal angle to this incident. On the other hand, the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council invited the ASDC and brotherhood organizations for talks on February 19th, which they accepted, and it is mentioned that they will also be present at the all-party meeting called by Tuliram Ronghang on February 20th.
Additionally, the leader announced that there will be a mass protest by the ASDC in Diphu on February 26th for the demand of self-rule. It is noteworthy that in light of rumors spreading from various parts of the district, the local population believes that the administration needs to be more vigilant.
