Telangana decision opens Pandora s box in north-east Jyoti Lal Chowdhury, Silchar Silchar: The decision taken by the

Congress Working Committee to create another state of Telangana carved out of Andhra Pradesh has its expected fall-out in nor th-east region. This move of the UPA Government has been from all reckoning illadvised and ill-timed, considering against the looming threat from China and the belligerent posture adopted by Pakistan. The demands for separate states with particular reference to Assam are more or l ess identical. It is for the constitutional and political rights to protect the land, culture and identity and overall development. Allegations against Dispur, the citadel of power, are deprivation, neglect, discrimination and colonial trea tment towards them. Barak Valley too has been demanding separation from Assam on this ground. Union Territory Demand Committee (UTDC) spearheading the movement for long, however, will be content with Union Territory status. But, however justified and reasoned their demand for Bodoland, Hill State and Ka mtapur, it will be interesting to know that their territorial jurisdiction clash es with one another. Kamtapur land transgresses well within Bodoland, 16 districts of Assam and 6 of West Benga l including Darjeeling that also clashes with the territorial area of Gorkhaland . Bodoland also claims territory in Tinsukia of upper Assam and Karbi Anglong. All Bodo Students Union, Bodoland People s Front, Bodo National Conference, Nationa l Democratic Front of Bodoland and the United Democratic People s Front are fighti ng for Bodoland, the All Koch-Rajbongshi Students Union vouching for Kamtapur and Joint Action Committee for Autonomous State comprising the hill districts of Ka rbi Anglong and Dima Hasao will have to settle their territorial jurisdiction fi rst to demarcate their boundaries, say observers. It sends ominous signal for th ese various ethnic groups might get involved in fratricidal clashes and bloodshe d over the issue. Though the Constitution does have provision to create new State under amended Cl ause 3 which empowers the Parliament in this regard, Akhil Gogoi, president of K rishak Murti Sangram Samiti, has said that the monolithic and non inclusive Cons titution prevented the progress and development of smaller indigenous groups. Th e most burning reason behind the demand for separation from Assam is the encroac hment of land by Bangladeshis and the callous and indifferent attitude of both t he Centre and the State towards the development of Bodos, Karbis, Dimasas and Ko ch-Rajbongshis. It is for this reason that various other tribes in Manipur, Nagaland and Meghala ya have also joined the chorus for separation. Embers of simmering discontent am ong the tribes of Tripura are also reported. Kuki State Demand Committee in Mani pur is also on the path of agitation. In order to assert its right over the Kuki inhabited areas of Manipur for a separate State, it called 48 hour general stri ke. United Naga Council, the apex body of Nagas living in Manipur, has been pres sing for an autonomous administrative arrangement for Nagas. Both the Kuki and N aga organisations have threatened to boycott Independence Day celebrations. As many as 4 districts, Mon, Tuensang, Longleng and Kiphire in Nagaland, are on boil following open revolt by Eastern Nagaland People s Organisation which is push ing for a separate State known as Frontier Nagaland. Garo Hills State Movement Com mittee has also become active and taken to agitation, demanding a separate Garola nd State comprising all the five Garo hills districts of Meghalaya. All these bo dies on agitation have made it clear that separate states are their ultimate dre am within their respective areas. Though the Chief Minister of Assam, Tarun Gogoi, has been holding parleys with a

ll the groups and organisations on war path and even pushing them to New Delhi f or dialogue with Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, it can be said that the fall ou t of Telangana, as seen from the trends and events, is hard to foretell, but its adverse impact on the socio-economic fabric can hardly be overlooked. The State is reeling under the burgeoning problems of infiltration from across t he border and the complex and complicated National Register of Citizens (NRC) up date. The UPA Government, it has been alleged by well known political commentato rs and analysts, has taken the decision on Telangana under political expediency and compulsion and in view of the Lok Sabha elections of 2014. http://organiser.org/Encyc/2013/8/18/%E2%80%98Telangana-decision-opens-Pandora%E 2%80%99s-box-in-north-east%E2%80%99.aspx?NB=&lang=4&m1=&m2=&p1=&p2=&p3=&p4=&Page Type=N