Meghalaya: Delegations from Garo Hills to head towards Delhi demanding separate state

As delegates from more than half a dozen states, including Garo Hills, plan to gather in New Delhi this December for a rally for two consecutive days, pressing upon the country's lawmakers to hear their long-standing demand. The Members of Parliament of India will soon have to bear witness to the voice of lakhs of people yearning for their own identity and state.

This decision was made in front of a gathering of hundreds of Garoland supporters on Saturday, October 29 afternoon in Tura, where officials of various state demand committees had travelled to take part in the Garoland rally.

The National Federation for New States, a coalition of organisations from throughout India that includes Garoland leaders, welcomed the leaders of the Garoland event, which was organised by the Nikman Ch Marak-led Garoland State Movement Committee.

To take part in the public gathering at the Teteng Aja government college field that later included a rally via AOC, Hawakhana, and Circuit House junction, the leaders from Gorkhaland, Tripura, Karbi Anglong, and Telengana gathered in Tura.

"Delegations from Garoland, Gorkhaland, Bundelkhand, Ladakh, Vidharbha, Bodoland, Karbi Anglong and Tipraland Tripura will head to Delhi during December's Winter Session of Parliament. We will stage a rally for two days to remind the leadership of India about the demands of the people which are genuine and a constitutional demand guaranteed in the Constitution of India," announced Dr Munish Tamang, President of the National Federation for New States (NFNS) representing Gorkhaland in North Bengal who marched together with Nikman Ch Marak, the NFNS vice president and long time advocate for Garoland.

The Garo National Council Party, the oldest political party among the Garos who are fighting for an independent state of Garoland, is represented by Nikman Ch Marak, who is now the deputy chief executive member (CEM) of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council.

Nikman Ch Marak, who is currently the deputy Chief Executive Member (CEM) of Garo Hills Autonomous District Council represents Garo National Council party which is the oldest political party of the Garos that strieve for a separate state of Garoland.

The demonstration was organised by Nikman, who described the large number of Garoland supporters as the people's desire for their own independent state. He pledged to keep fighting for the establishment of Garoland because it is the righteous demand of the Garo people.

Dr Munish Tamang, President of the National Federation for New States (NFNS) and representative of the Gorkhaland state demand, P. Niroop Reddy, Adviser of NFNS and Senior Advocate of the Supreme Court of India, Stalin Engty, Secretary of NFNS for Karbi Anglong (Assam), and Sukla Charan Noatia, Assistant General Secretary of Indigenous People Front of Tripura, made up the delegation from various states that attended the Garoland rally.
There were also representatives from the Khasi Jaintia region of the state, led by K.P. Paniang, president of HITO, Shillong, and the former chief executive officer of the GHADC Purno K. Sangma and former deputy chief executive officer Augustine Marak from the Garo Hills.