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Gorkha Autonomous Council (GAC) is the need for indigenous identity- AAGSU

99 students scoring above 90% and 33 Achievers honoured at the Conclave.

 AAGSU president Arjun Chetry and other dignitaries. 
Formation of Gorkha Autonomous Council (GAC) is the constitutional need for the Gorkhas for indigenous identity and equality in Assam. This was stated by the Assam's influential apex Gorkha students organisation  All Assam Gorkha Students' Union (AAGSU) president Arjun Chetry on the concluding day of two days 'Education and Felicitation Conclave' held at PWD Convention & Training Centre in Guwahati on Saturday.  99 students scoring above 90% in the recently results declared HSLC and HS examination were felicitated with a Jhaapi ( traditional Assamese head gear), Asomia phoolam gamosa with AAGSU logo printed on it, a citation and a memento. Atleast 33 Achievers too were felicitated and awarded from newly appointed ACS , APS and civil services officers to high ranking officials in civil and police administration after their recent promotion, Sahitya Akademi awardee, national and international awardee in their respective trades including new appointees and electees. 

'GAC is the basic demand of the Gorkhas of Assam and Government of Assam should form Gorkha Autonomous Council (GAC) in Assam on or before AAGSU's golden jubilee year 2026 and we are hopeful that GAC will be passed in the Assam Assembly before 2024 general elections', Arjun Chetry told this correspondent.

'Achieving demand in democracy is situational and number game. Since the BJP at the centre haven't met demands of creation of Gorkhaland in North Bengal and granting ST status ro 11 left out tribes of the Gorkha community in Sikkim and Darjeeling, i am sure BJP leadership and government will form the Gorkha Autonomous Council (GAC) in Assam for political edge over other parties among the Gorkhas of the nation in the ensuing general election 2024', Numal Chetry, general secretary AAGSU told mediapersons when asked about their belief that GAC will be formed by 2024.

Lochana Bastola who scored 499 out of 500 in CBSE Class X examination too was accorded 'Achievers Award' felicitation. Subject toppers of various Universities and various Boards too were felicitated today. Atleast 33 'Achievers Award' were presented today this includes Anjan Baskota - Youth Sahitya Akademi awardee for Literature, Babul Gurung, Ace Indian Swimming Coach for Sports, Krishna Bhujel newly elected President of Assam Gorkha Sammelan for Social Service, Prem Tamang, Chairman, Gorkha Development Council, Goverment of Assam for Public Administration, Nanda K Dewan, international award winning senior community journalist for Jouranalism along with newly appointed ACS, APS and civil services officers. Industrialist Ganesh Sharma and MD of Hotel Atithi Yuvaraj Sharma too were specially felicitated. OSD to Youth Affairs & Sports Minister Rajiv Thapa ACS, OSD to BTR Chief Executive Member Raju Dhakal, Political Secretary to CEM and Member of Council Legislative Assembly (MCLA) BTR Madhav Chandra Chetry delivered motivational speech on civil and applied services, corporate career and potentials in political career 

Addressing the achievers students industrialist and motivational speaker Yuvaraj Sharma emphasized on developing entrepreneurship skills for students who donot qualify in desired destination. 'Gorkhas are genetically hardworking being a Himalayan community but smart work is the need of the hour. We should make our fermented foods like gundruk, sinki, sikooti and delicacies commercial. Gorkha milkman should move to shutters from street and start branding their milk produces instead of selling loose to the customers. Our handloom is rich in colour and vibrant naturally should be made available in the market instead of borrowing from Darjeeling and Sikkim'.

History of Demand of Gorkha Autonomous Council (GAC).

The All Assam Gorkha Students' Union had resolved for an autonomous council  in lines of swaraj of the freedom struggle movement  for constitutional safeguards and political rights of Gorkhas in 1997 at the 20th Annual Session at the Boginadi Higher Secondary School from 18th to 20th April 1997 in North Lakhimpur under the presidentship of Harka Bahadur Chetry. The annual session had resolved to build AAGSU as cadre based organisation, set up district offices and organisational expansion, financial plans for cadres to take forward issue of assertion of political and constitutional rights. This is understood to be first occasion that the Gorkhas dreamt of an autonomous council in lines of Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council in Assam while  Harka Bahadur Chetry and Gopal Acharya were president and  gen secy of AAGSU, than it was known as AANSU (All Assam Nepali Students'Union). Since 2003 after AANSU was renamed to All Assam Gorkha Students' Union (AAGSU) shunning Nepali identity in Assam and the Gorkha Autonomous Council Demand Committee (GACDC) too rechristened from Special Protected Class Demand Committee (SPCDC) which was formed as an independent political organisation in aegis AAGSU on 26th Dec 1999 on AAGSU's 22nd Foundation Day at Helem Gohpur in Biswanath with founder president of  AANSU Dr. Harka Bahadur Chetry (Senior) as Chairman and Ab Narayan Pathak as general secretary to meet the constitutional demand of an autonomous type arrangements as  Special Protected Class in Assam. In 2002 at the silver jubilee of All Assam Nepali Students' Union (AANSU) in Tezpur as per the resolution passed at Barpathar Golaghat conference in 1998.  With Bhaskar Dahal from Chirang as President abd Padmo Pradhan from Dibrugarh General Secretary of the All Assam Gorkha Students' Union, it  was unanimously resolved to be identified as Gorkha community in Assam instead of the Nepali which is not reciprocal at all inspite of opposition from Kishore Upadhyay who was made the president of AANSU for several years who was of the view that Nepalis donot want Autonomous Council in Assam. In 2003 the AANSU adopted the name All Assam Gorkha Students' Union. After 3 terms AANSU president Harka Bahadur Chetry took responsibility of Gorkha Autonomous Council Demand Committee (GACDC) and is still spearheading the Gorkha's indigenous identity movement. He had undertaken 650 kms Marathon March ( Long Foot March) from Murkungselek in Jonai of Dhemaji to Dispur in Guwahati in 19 days demanding Assamese identity and Indigenous status from government of Assam through gazetted notification. 

Krishna Bhujel, president of Assam Gorkha Sammelan declared unconditional support to the Gorkha Autonomous Council (GAC) movement as per their resolution at their 14th November 2021 in General Council meeting. Prakash Dahal president of Assam Unit of Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh congratulated meritorious students and  wished them a bright academic and professional career. He also called for united movement from all the civil society, students, literary organisations with a common minimum agenda. OSD to BTR Chief Executive Member Raju Dhakal and Member of Council Legislative Assembly of BTR Madhav Chandra Chhetri too addressed the conclave.

Education Conclave & Career Choice

On the previous day career counseling and seminar was organised where Dr. Sammujal Bhattacharya, Chief Advisor, All Assam Students'Union (AASU) inaugurated and addressed the conclave as Chief Guest. The All Assam Students' Union apex influential students' union of Assam on Friday criticised the Government of Assam decision to  enforce learning Science and Maths for students vernacular and indigenous languages schools in English. In his addresses Dr. Sammujal Bhattacharya Chief Advisor AASU said, ' Scientific researches have proven that if a students learns science in his mother tongue, the student can understand better so the decision to force students to study science and mathematics in English is not at all scientific. The Goverment of Assam is going against the National Education Policy scheduled to be implemented across the nation by Government of India where it emphasizes on educating young students in mother tongue at tender age.'

'Instead of enforcing medium of instruction to the students it is important to ensure even a vernacular students is able to read write and speak English fluently and comfortably and vice-versa', asserted Dr. Bhattacharya. On the first day an educational awareness seminar was organised where Dr. Sanjib Upadhayay, HoD, Zoology Tyabir Hemchandra Baruah College spoke on National Education Policy 2020. A seminar on ' Career choice, Education and Social Responsibility'  was anchored by Tinku Powdel, Education Secretary AAGSU with experts and panelist. 

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