Tura: Leaders of minority tribes in Meghalaya on Saturday constituted the Regional Council Demand Committee (RCDC) to demand for a Regional Council for the indigenous minority tribes of the state.
The RCDC was floated on Saturday during a special meeting held at Babedpara in West Garo Hills district of Meghalaya.
The RCDC decided to intensify the demand for a Regional Council for the indigenous minority tribals of Meghalaya.
Dr. K.C. Boro, former Meghalaya Minister was unanimously elected as the Chairman, while Ananda Koch was named the General Secretary of RCDC.
Promod Koch was selected as the chairman of the Advisory Board of the newly formed RCDC.
The RCDC was formed to strengthen the ongoing movement initiated by the Meghalaya Indigenous Minority Tribals Forum (MIMTF), which has already submitted several memoranda demanding creation of the regional council.
The MIMTF submitted the memoranda to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Governor of Meghalaya, and the Chairman of the National ST Commission in New Delhi.
The MIMTF represents several indigenous minority tribal communities in Meghalaya, including the Hajong, Koch, Rabha, Boro-Kachari, Mann, and also the Karbi tribes.
The RCDC announced that it would work in close coordination with the MIMTF and emphasized that it is a public body, free from politics and party affiliations.
A total of 54 members attended the meeting where the RCDC was officially constituted on Saturday.
As of now, there are three autonomous district councils in Meghalaya – the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC), the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) and the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC).
In addition, Bhabani Hajong, Dharmeswar Koch, Nabin Boro and Sahadev Rabha were appointed as Vice Presidents of the committee. The role of Assistant General Secretaries was entrusted to Rupkumar Boro, Ramcharan Hajong and Sanjay Rabha.
