Second round of talks with Karbi Samaj postponed due to PM Modi's visit: CM Sarma
CM Sarma assured that the talks will be rescheduled at the earliest.
A file image of Karbi Anglong protest (Photo: AT)
Guwahati, Jan 17: The second round of talks between the Assam government and Karbi society, planned in the wake of recent inter-community violence in West Karbi Anglong district, has been postponed due to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the state.
“The talks scheduled today between the Government and the Karbi Samaj have been deferred due to the historic visit of the Hon’ble Prime Minister Sri @narendramodi to Assam,” Sarma said in a microblogging website on Saturday.
Assuring the Karbi community of the government’s commitment, he added, “The talks will be rescheduled at the earliest, and we remain committed to resolving all issues through sincere dialogue, mutual respect and understanding.”
Tensions have persisted in the district between Karbi and non-Assamese communities over allegations of encroachment on Village Grazing Reserve (VGR) and Professional Grazing Reserve (PGR) lands in tribal belts by Hindi-speaking settlers.
A tripartite meeting involving the state government, the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) and protest representatives was held on December 26 to address the issue of clearing alleged encroachments. The next round of talks, scheduled for Saturday, has now been deferred.
Following the December meeting, Sarma had said the government would approach the Gauhati High Court seeking an early order on its earlier stay on eviction drives in grazing lands in West Karbi Anglong and Karbi Anglong districts. He also said the KAAC, which has not filed its affidavit in the case for the past two years, would do so by January 5, while members of the Karbi community would submit a separate petition.
Last month, Karbi agitators staged a 15-day hunger strike demanding eviction of alleged illegal settlers, most of whom are reported to have migrated from Bihar.
The agitation turned violent on December 22 after police removed three protesters from the site in the early hours, a move later described by the administration as necessary for medical reasons. The violence left one person dead in police firing and another burnt alive inside his house in the Kheroni area, while over 180 people, including 173 security personnel, were injured.
The Army was subsequently deployed and conducted flag marches in violence-hit areas of West Karbi Anglong district.
With inputs from PTI