Gorkha Autonomous Council (GAC) in Assam – a Journey

Nanda Kirati Dewan, Guwahati .

Gorkhas in Assam I am referring to are those communities in Assam which have been living in ancient Assam i.e Kamrupa days and even before, which also has its roots in various regions of present day in India like Himachal Pradesh, Uttarkhand, Sikkim and proposed Gorkhaland and subsequently in British days the ex-Army Gorkha soldiers who were settled in Assam. “Today all their descendants in the geography of Assam here I am using the terminology ‘Gorkhas of Assam or Gorkhas’ certainly not the Nepali (Nepali nationals in India and Assam who migrated to a foreign land abiding a treaty) the reciprocal one.

Assam embarked on a decision of decentralization of power by granting community and tribe specific autonomous councils. Starting with the creation of Bodoland Autonomous Council in 1993, Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council and Missing Autonomous Council also presentday Tiwa Autonomous Council formerly Lalung (Tiwa) Autonomous Council in 1995, Deuri Autonomous Council, Sonowal Kachari Autonomous Council and Thengal Kachari Autonomous Council were created in 2005ahead of Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi’s second term. However Karbianglong the largest hills district of Assam was given territorial autonomy long back.

For more........ CLICK HERE