The Manmohan Singh government’s decision to carve Telangana out of
Andhra Pradesh has given fresh impetus to statehood demands across India
but nowhere has the effect been more divisive than in eastern India. At
least four ethnic groups have begun to press their claims for separate
States to be carved out of Assam. The Bodos, the Karbi, Dimasas and
Koch-Rajbongshis are up in arms in support of their respective demands.
But the simple fact is that these cries for statehood are not only
ill-advised but also untenable and impractical. For one, the territories
being demanded by the different groups in pursuit of their own
ethnically, homogeneous provinces actually overlap with one another.
Besides, Assam’s own territorial issues with more than one of its
neighbouring States remain unresolved. Third, these conflicting and
often competing political aspirations make for a toxic cauldron,
predicated as they are on the dangerous assumption that it is not
possible or desirable to create multi-ethnic or multicultural provinces
in which the rights of ethnic, linguistic and cultural minorities are
constitutionally guaranteed and administratively ensured.
Whatever the trigger, the present unrest highlights the urgent need for
administrative systems that can help meet regional, developmental and
identity aspirations. This can be done by strengthening the autonomous,
administrative divisions in Assam established on the basis of the Sixth
Schedule of the Constitution. Currently, these are the Bodoland
Territorial Council, the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council and the Dima
Hasao Autonomous District Council. In addition, there are six notified
tribal autonomous councils where the territory has not been specified.
One of the sticking points with regard to the latter group relates to
dual authority owing to the simultaneous existence of panchayati raj
structures. This needs to be addressed suitably. The experience in
Tripura over the past decade and more has shown that the implementation
of appropriate autonomy packages could prove to be an effective salve,
and an aid to development. As in Tripura, the functioning of democratic
processes at grass-roots level ought to be ensured in Assam. The
sensitive handling of grievances over funding, and the protection that
needs to be extended over issues of language, culture and land are
essential. Powers and functions consistent with local customs,
traditions and needs have to be conferred on tribal autonomous systems.
The fair and practical long-term solution to the turbulence in the
region lies along this path. But at the end of the day, as Chief
Minister Tarun Gogoi has repeatedly said, Assam and its people should
“live together” by making peace among themselves.