Tura, Dec 15: Supporters of Garoland state actively took part in the All India protest sit in at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on December 14 that had participation by statehood demand supporters from various parts of the country, including Garo Hills.
The two day protest sit in demonstration demanding creation of new states was organised by the conglomerate National Federation for New States which has among its members the Garoland, Gorkhaland ( Darjeeling hills), Tipraland ( Tripura), Bodoland ( Assam) Delegations.
From Garo Hills, the Garoland demand was raised by Garo National Council MDC and Deputy CEM Nikman Ch Marak who led a delegation to the protest and narrated the demand of the garo people who have been craving for their own state since the time of the hill state movement in the late 1960s when the entire tribal region across the north east erupted in protest against then Assam Government’s decision to make assamese mandatory in schools prompting a backlash that led to a peoples movement which culminated in the formation of several tribal states, including Meghalaya.
On Wednesday, Garoland State Movement Committee leader Balkarin Marak and former GHADC CEM Purno K Sangma joined GNC leader Nikman Marak at Jantar Mantar to show their support for a separate state for the garos.