Garos residing in Assam have welcomed the recent decision of the state government to create autonomous councils for the Moran-Motok and Koch Rajbongshi ethnic groups.

The United Garo Autonomous Council Movement Committee, an umbrella organisation of several organisations of the Garo people in Assam, through a news conference said this in Goalpara on Tuesday.

“The recent creation of Kamtapur Autonomous Council by the Assam government is a welcome initiative with respect to the fulfilment of the aspirations of the indigenous tribes,” committee chairman Alex K. Sangma said.

However, the organisation still stands by its long-time demand of a separate Garo Autonomous Council on a satellite basis for about 4.5 lakh Garo voters living all over Assam.

“The creation of the Kamtapur and Moran-Motok autonomous councils have paved the way for creation of a separate Garo Autonomous Council on a satellite basis for a relatively larger population in order to do justice to the social cultural and economic aspirations of one of the most deprived tribe of Assam,” Sangma said.

Meanwhile, committee general secretary Thengsil Sangma threatened to intensify their agitation if the demands of the autonomous council is not heard by the government.

“We have planned to take out a rally at Dudhnoi of Goalpara district after Magh and intensify our agitation. The tentative date of the rally is December 6, 2020,” he said.

The committee, in a release, expressed their anguish that the areas where Garo people live have remained some of the most neglected parts of Assam and every government has given them a step-motherly treatment.