GUWAHATI, June 19 – A representative meeting of the Co-ordination Committee of Tribal Organisations, Assam (CCTOA) here today demanded clear-cut statement in the Draft National Policy for the Tribals (DNPT) on the protection of the tribal areas. The meeting demanded incorporation of a new schedule in the Indian Constitution on the tribal languages too.
It also described the opposition from certain organistions to the efforts at including the plains tribals of the State in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution as unfortunate. It expressed its concern over the incidents in Dhemaji district in connection with the Cabinet Committee on Tribals visit for making an on-the-spot study of the matter related to inclusion of the Mising dominated areas in the Sixth Schedule. It also urged upon all the political parties and democratic organisations of the State to support the constitutional rights of the tribals.
The meeting in one of its resolutions called for steps to include the Mising dominated areas in the Sixth Schedule and also to settle the issues related to the autonomy to the Sonowal Kachari and Deuri dominated areas. It also demanded stern measures for the protection of the Tribal Belts and Blocks of the State and to fill up the backlogs in the reserved quota of the tribals in the State Government services.