NDFB (P) bats for Misings’ Sixth Schedule
According to media reports,the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (Progressive) has submitted a latest memorandum to the Centre asking for granting Sixth Schedule to the Mising tribe too,the second largest tribe of Assam .The Rabhas and Tiwas demand for the same have been included ,local newspapers published from Guwahati said here.The NDFB(P) is the breakaway faction of the NDFB that is in ceasefire with government over the last few years.Besides their main demand for a separate statehood of Bodoland,the ceasefire group has included the tribal brethrens’ demand for autonomy under the Sixth Schedule of the constitution of the country.
The NDFB(P) charter of demand has asked for inclusion of contigious tribal areas of the North Bank of Brahmaputra from Sadiya to Sonkosh river .The total area is about 25,478 square kilometres in where 32 tribal belts of Assam are within their proposed statehood demand.Besides these demands,the organization has also supported in written for granting Scheduled Tribe(ST) status to the Koch Rajbongshis in Assam.
It is to be noted here that Misings,Rabhas andTiwa tribes ,the aboriginal inhabitants of Assam,are in the path of protracted struggle for Sixth Schedule over the last few decades.Unlike the Bodos,these three tribes are following a non-violent path to achieve their demand for autonomy.The present four districts of Bodoland Autonomuos Territorial Districts(BTAD) came into being in 2003 after a fierce armed struggle led by Bodo Liberation Tigers(BLT).The BTAD is currently under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.
In recent times,the Mising have also stepped up their struggle for autonomy under Sixth Schedule.The Mising national organizations like Takam Mising Porin Kébang(TMPK),Mising Mimak Kébang(MMK),Takam Mising Mimé Kébang(TMMK) have called for 48-hours shut down in the Mising Autonomous Council (MAC)area on 13th and 14th of March,2012.The Mising Autonomous Demand Committee(MADC) recently staged demonstration in Dispur Last Gate demanding Sixth Schedule as well as for Central Bureau of Investigation(CBI) inquiry into alleged multi-crores scandals of the MAC .The MADC alleged that government of Assam has failed to keep up its announcement made in the state assembly in 2010 for CBI inquiry.
Submitted by : Bhaskar Pegu
