Various Ahom organisations urged community members to record their religious, community and language identities correctly in the forthcoming census, saying it would help determine the community's actual population and safeguard its rights.
At a press conference, the organisations requested members of the Tai Ahom community to enter “Tai” under religion, “Ahom” under caste and “Assamese and Tai” under language. They claimed there were 60 lakh Ahom people in Assam and said the census could establish the actual figure.
The organisations said accurate population data would help the community secure its identity and rights, besides facilitating a special economic package, political rights and other benefits.
They also expressed dissatisfaction with the government's handling of the long-pending demand for tribal status for Ahoms. They alleged that Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had promised at a joint meeting of Ahom organisations to move the process forward after the Assembly elections, but no significant progress or discussion had taken place even after nearly six months.
The organisations urged Sarma to take prompt steps to resolve the community's long-standing issues and demanded concrete action instead of assurances.
Meanwhile, the Tai Ahom Yuva Parishad announced a two-day Mahabir Lachit Divas programme at Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra in Guwahati on November 23 and 24. It said the Mahabir Lachit Award would be presented to Marshal Nagen Hazarika.
The organisation said the award had been instituted in 2012 and sought public cooperation to make Lachit Borphukan's valour and sacrifice better known globally.
