Garos protest in Goalpara, accuse Numal Momin of suppressing Autonomous Council demand

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaOctober 2, 2024

As many as 500 Garo people staged a protest at Kasumari near Krishnai in Assam’s Goalpara district expressing their discontent with Assam Legislative Assembly deputy speaker Numal Momin.

During the protest, demonstrators voiced their discontent with slogans such as “Momin Go Back,” “Momin suppresses the demand of autonomous council,” and “We demand an autonomous council,” to exert pressure on the state government to take concrete action toward establishing an autonomous council for the Garo community.

A major focus of the protest was the “unofficial appointment” of Manoj Rabha, also known as Dristi Rajkhowa, as an advisor to oversee issues related to the Garo community. Protestors viewed this appointment as a politically motivated move aimed at undermining the legitimate demands of the Garo people. They believed this decision disregarded the sentiments of the community, further fueling their frustration with Numal Momin’s leadership and his perceived role in diverting attention from the core demand for a separate Garo Autonomous Council.

The protestors are upset because Momin, the only MLA from the Garo community representing the Bokajan constituency, is perceived as suppressing the demand for an Autonomous Council for the Garos in Assam.

The Garos, numbering over 6 lakh, are the second largest tribal community in the state. The demand for an autonomous council stems from a desire for greater political and administrative control over their affairs.

Momin is seen as not championing the cause of the community adequately. This demand for an Autonomous Council is part of the larger tribal rights movement in Assam, where various indigenous communities have been seeking more autonomy and protection of their cultural identity within the state’s political framework,” said Bibhula Marak, Garo Women Council (GWC), Assam State Zone.

Marak’s statements reflect deep dissatisfaction within the Garo community towards Numal Momin, accusing him of a “double standard role” in handling their long-standing demand for an Autonomous Council, which dates back to 2007.

“Despite 17 years of demands for a Satellite Council, Momin diverted attention by imposing the Garo Development Council, promising it was just the first step toward an Autonomous Council,” she said.

However, according to Marak, Momin has failed to deliver on this promise and has not adequately advocated for the community in the Assam Legislative Assembly since his election in 2016.

Marak further accuses Momin of working in alignment with the BJP government to suppress the Garo community’s aspirations. “Momin’s support for the Garo Development Council, instead of fighting for a separate Autonomous Council, is seen as an attempt to sideline the key demand,” she also said.

A particularly contentious issue is the appointment of Manoj Rabha (also known as Dristi Rajkhowa), a member of the Rabha community, as an advisor to the Garo Development Council. “The Garo community views this as a move to dilute their demand for exclusion from the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council and the formation of their own Autonomous Council,” Marak said.

She asserted that this appointment was aimed at dividing the Garos for Momin’s political gain.

The resentment is compounded by Momin’s alleged neglect of grassroots leaders and a lack of engagement with the broader Garo community, as seen during the last Lok Sabha elections when he campaigned only in six villages without proper communication with community leaders. “This perceived disconnect between Momin and the Garo people’s aspirations has led to mounting frustrations, as evidenced by the protests,” she added.