Kokrajhar MP debarred from visiting tribal areas

KOKRAJHAR: Accusing Kokrajhar MP Naba Kumar Sarania, alias Hira Sarania, of being anti-tribal, the district committee of Janajati Suraksha Manch (JSM), a tribal body, has decided to prevent him from entering the tribal belts and blocks of the district.
In a statement issued here on Friday, secretary of JSM's Kokrajhar committee Ashok Kumar Brahma said the Manch would ban Sarania from setting foot in tribal belts for betraying the tribal communities of the region.The Manch has announced a 36-hour bandh in Serfanguri and Ramfalbil areas of the district on Saturday and Sunday in view of Sarania's decision to attend a public meeting in Serfanguri on Sunday.
Senior JSM leader Daorao Dekhreb Narzary said Sarania is not only anti-tribal, he has many criminal cases against him in different police stations. He said added that Sarania acquired a fake ST certificate to contest from the ST-reserved seat in the last Lok Sabha election but is working against the interests of the tribal people.
Sarania is dividing people on communal lines, instigating Bodo versus Non-Bodo, Karbi versus non-Karbi and Rabha versus non-Rabha tensions, he said and added that JSM has lodged a complaint with Gauhati high court challenging the authenticity of Sarania's ST certificate and is awaiting a judgement.