Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council Facing Corruption Charges

NEPDF Demands Autonomous Councin Be Dissolved

North East Peace & Development Forum, a Diphu based socioeconomic organization has accused Congress leaders of taking money while they were controlling Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council.

The NEPDF charged the leaders of pillaging public money from the KAAC funds and described the act as a heinous crime.

KAAC’s misuse of funds has devastated the socioeconomic life of the people of Karbi Anglong.

The organization submitted a memorandum to Sri. P B Acharya, Governor of Assam during his recent Diphu visit. The memorandum described the reason for the unprecedented increase in corruption as the non-implementation of Article 244(A) of the Indian Constitution. The NEPDF urged the Governor to take over the autonomous council or suspend the Executive Committee in accordance with the rule of 6th Schedule of the Indian Constitution.

The NEPDF claimed that in absence of proper governing system of this sixth scheduled autonomous zone, the ruling Congress could have unleshed a reign of misrule and corrupt practices which has thrown the economy into turmoil.

“This economic misbalance within different neatly associated 6th scheduled tribes ultimately has lead to formation of large and powerful armed ultra outfits and now small ragtag groups are mushrooming in this district,” Rajen Timung, the organizing secretary of NEPDF said.

The young leader mentioned that indescribable accumulated wealth in the hands of a microscopic privileged few and pitiable economic situation of the middle and lower income group has amplified social crimes. Young girls are also lured to the flesh trade by the rich including government employees. In addition, use of drugs and accidental death of teenagers are common nowadays.

Inquiry Demanded

The memo to the Governor demanded an inquiry by government agencies such as the CBI, NIA and various organizations looking into financial offences to probe all public allegations against KAAC.

“Why is it the Congress government not taking action till date, does it have some kind of internal understanding with the KAAC for political gain?,” Rajen Timung asked.

The NEPDF while demanding an enquiry against those involved in economic offences committed within a drawn out period of nearly 20 years insisted that in order to re-establish the moral confidence of the tribal people of the hills of Assam, their assets should be seized if proven guilty.

And above all to facilitate a free and fair enquiry against those who are still clinging to power in KAAC. The Executive Committee should be dissolved or suspended and the Governor should take over authority of KAAC in accordance with the rule described in sub-Para 1 of Para 15 of the 6th Schedule of the Indian Constitution.

Sushanta Roy is a journalist in Assam, India, who photographs and writes about the people, animals and flora of Assam, and the things that affect them.