Draft:Sadou Asom Goria Jatiya Parishad

Sadou Asom Goria Jatiya Parishad
AbbreviationSAGJP
Formation28 January 2021; 3 years ago (2021-01-28)
TypeEthnic Organisation
PurposeConstitutional safeguard OBC status and separate census
HeadquartersTezpur
Region served
Brahmaputra Valley
Membership
10,000+
President
Moinul Islam
General Secretary
Mir Arif Ikbal Hussain
Websitehttps://goria.in

The Sadou Asom Goria Jatiya Parishad (Assamese: সদৌ অসম গৰীয়া জাতীয় পৰিষদ) is a registered organization that represents the Goria ethnic group in Assam and supports the interests of the broader Assamese people. The organization advocates for the Goria community to be recognized as part of the Other Backward Classes (OBC) and promotes a distinct ethnic identity. It opposes identity classifications based on religion.

History

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Female Members of Sadou Asom Goria Jatiya Parishad

Recognizing the challenges faced by the Goria community during the NRC update process[1], along with other issues affecting them in Assam, members of the Goria community gathered in Golaghat on 28th January, 2021. During this meeting, they decided to establish an organization to advocate for the Goria people. As a result, the Sadou Asom Goria Jatiya Parishad was founded, with Moinul Islam as the founding President and Mir Arif Ikbal Hussain as the founding General Secretary. The first district committees were formed in Biswanath, Sonitpur, Golaghat, Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, and Morigaon.[2] The organization has since expanded to include 21 district committees and a State (Central) Committee.

The organization's first meeting was held on October 24, 2021, at the MSR Society Hall in Golaghat, with representatives from all 21 district committees. During the meeting, several key demands were made, including OBC status for the Goria people, reservation of seats for Goria students in higher and technical education and government jobs, removal of the "D" mark from Goria names in the electoral roll, inclusion of left-out Goria people in the NRC, eviction of encroachers from waqf properties[3], a separate census for Goria people, constitutional safeguards, and land rights for the Goria community across Assam.

OBC Demand Movement

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The Sadou Asom Goria Jatiya Parishad (SAGJP) has been advocating for the recognition of the Goria community as part of the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) since its establishment. In a meeting held on May 27, 2023, the organization decided to strengthen its efforts in pursuit of this objective. SAGJP has since submitted multiple memoranda to both the Assam state government and the central government, requesting OBC status, a distinct identity, and constitutional safeguards.[4] Finally, the All Assam Other Backward Classes Commission started hearing on the issue of OBC demand of Goria People and on 26/6/2024 in the first round of hearing the representative of Sadou Asom Goria Jatiya Parishad was called to appear as representatives of Goria People. In the said hearing the All Assam Other Backward Classes Commission vide its minutes of the proceeding of the 10th Meeting of the Commission dated 26/6/2024 issued under No. ABC/Esstt./3/2021/37 directed the Parishad to give details about the total population of Goria people in the State of Assam as well as other documents before the next round of hearing. On such direction the Sadou Asom Goria Jatiya Parishad started population census of Goria people[5] in the State of Assam which is started from 1st September, 2024 from Lakhimpur.[6][7][8]

Opposition to the term 'Indigenous Assamese Muslims'

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Sadou Asom Goria Jatiya Parishad oppose the term "Indigenous Assamese Muslim"[9][10][11][12] . The Organization expressed its view that there is no historical background for the terms Indigenous Assamese Muslim rather the term Goria has its historical background. The Government of Assam constituted 7 sub committees for giving suggestion for development of Goria and other indigenous Muslim Community living in the State of Assam.[13] In the said Process the Sub -committee constituted for cultural Identity in its report manipulated the etymology of Goria Community as well as defined the Goria People as a sub-group of "Indigenous Assamese Muslim" Community. The said committee created a term Indigenous Assamese Muslim. The Organization immediately agitated the same and on 27 April 2022 give a press meeting against such terms.  On such protest ultimately, the Sub-Committee of Cultural Identity heard the view of the Organization.

Notable events

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On November 25th and 26th, 2023, in Sootea, Biswanath, the organization held a large event called 'Dig Darsan Samaroh,' where 20,000 Goria people gathered.[14][15]

Awards given by Sadou Asom Goria Jatiya Parishad

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  • Goria Ratna Award to Nekibur Zamman (Senior Advocate, leader of Assam Movement, Chairman  North East Haj Committee)[16]

References

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  1. ^ MuslimMirror (2020-02-24). "Assamese Muslims at crossroads of identity and development". Muslim Mirror. Retrieved 2024-09-12.
  2. ^ "District Committee Formation of Sadou Asom Goria Jatiya Parishad". aimamedia.org. Retrieved 2024-09-12.
  3. ^ Desk, Sentinel Digital (2024-05-12). "Encroachment on Waqf property: Gauhati High Court orders submission of representation". Sentinel Assam. Retrieved 2024-09-13. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  4. ^ Karmakar,DHNS, Sumir. "5 Muslim groups in Assam to get 'indigenous community' status to protect identity from other Bengali-speaking Muslims". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 2024-09-12.
  5. ^ "Assam Cabinet approves census of native Muslims". The Times of India. 2023-12-09. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2024-09-13.
  6. ^ "Niyomiya Barta - The Assamese Daily". niyomiyabarta.com. Retrieved 2024-09-11.
  7. ^ Bharat, E. T. V. (2024-09-01). "অসমত এইবাৰ গৰিয়া লোকপিয়ল: লখিমপুৰৰ পৰা আৰম্ভ অভিযান - Census of Garia population". ETV Bharat News (in Assamese). Retrieved 2024-09-11.
  8. ^ "Explained: Why Assam is proposing a census of some Muslim groups". The Indian Express. 2020-02-14. Retrieved 2024-09-11.
  9. ^ Karmakar, Rahul (2022-04-28). "Ethnic group slams bid to notify them as indigenous Assamese Muslims". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2024-09-13.
  10. ^ Devi, Pallabi (2022-07-07). "গৰীয়া সকলক চৰকাৰে খিলঞ্জীয়া মুছলমান বুলি ধৰ্মৰ ভিত্তিত ভাগ কৰিছে: সদৌ অসম গৰীয়া জাতীয় পৰিষদ". EastMojo Assam. Retrieved 2024-09-12.
  11. ^ Devi, Pallabi (2022-07-07). "গৰীয়া সকলক চৰকাৰে খিলঞ্জীয়া মুছলমান বুলি ধৰ্মৰ ভিত্তিত ভাগ কৰিছে: সদৌ অসম গৰীয়া জাতীয় পৰিষদ". EastMojo Assam. Retrieved 2024-09-11.
  12. ^ ""খিলঞ্জীয়া অসমীয়া মুছলমান শব্দৰ ব্যৱহাৰে গৰীয়া জনগোষ্ঠীয় লোকক নিজৰ জনগোষ্ঠীয় পৰিচয়ৰ পৰা বঞ্চিত কৰিব" - Dainik Agradoot". 2022-04-27. Retrieved 2024-09-11.
  13. ^ Network, Hub (2023-12-11). "Assam: SAGJP welcomes govt's decision to implement socio-economic census of Gora". Hub News. Retrieved 2024-09-12.
  14. ^ Pratidin, Asomiya (2023-11-27). "চতিয়াত সদৌ অসম গৰীয়া জাতীয় পৰিষদৰ দিগদৰ্শন সমাৰোহ সম্পন্ন". Asomiya Pratidin (in Assamese). Retrieved 2024-09-13.
  15. ^ Pratidin, Asomiya (2023-11-21). "চতিয়াত সদৌ অসম গৰীয়া জাতীয় পৰিষদৰ দিগদৰ্শন সমাৰোহৰ প্ৰস্তুতি". Asomiya Pratidin (in Assamese). Retrieved 2024-09-11.
  16. ^ "Assamiya Khabor". www.assamiyakhabor.com. Retrieved 2024-09-12.
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