Deuri bodies demand council election

GUWAHATI, July 10: Deuri bodies are concerned over the prevailing plight in the Deuri Autonomous Council. The Deuri Autonomous Council was declared by the State Government on March 4, 2005. According to the memorandum of understanding signed between Deuri organizations and the government, election for the council should have been held within six months of its formation, but it does not happen till date. This was said by All Assam Deuri Students’ Union president Diganta Deuri and All Deuri Women’s Association president Bogitara Deuri at a press meet in Guwahati today. They further said the present interim council with Pitambar Deuri as CEM is represented by delegates of various Deuri bodies. The government, instead of holding election for the council, has been allegedly trying its hand to bring division in the Deuri community. Haren Deuri, Deepak deuri, Hargobinda Deuri, Bhaskar Deuri and a few others, who allegedly work for Cultural Affairs Minister Bharat Chandra Narah and Lakhimpur MP Rani Narah, have been helping the government in its venture of ethnic cleansing as alleged. The Deuri bodies put forth their three demands in the press meet, these are being — holding of election for the council at the earliest, release of development funds and appointment of teachers for the Deuri language at the primary level. If the demands are not met by July 20, the Deuri bodies will resort to more agitation, they said. SOURCE: THE SENTINEL