Ajay Kumar at 18:06, 29 August 2023

2023-08-29T18:06:20Z

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[[File:Proposed Barak state map.png|thumb|Map of India with Barak highlighted in dark red.]]

The '''Barak state movement''' includes political activities organised by various individuals, organizations and political parties, for creation of a separate state of [[Barak Valley|Barak]], within the republic of [[India]], with [[Silchar]] as the capital. The proposed state corresponds to the 3 southern districts of the state of [[Assam]]. It makes up for 8.82% of area and 11.61% of population of the present state of Assam. The area is covered by thick tropical forests and is surplus in tea, oil, natural gas and jute.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-06-28 |title=Professor and economist Joydeep Biswas on Barak Valley as a separate state: It would not be any worse than what it is now |url=https://www.barakbulletin.com/en_US/professor-and-economist-joydeep-biswas-on-barak-valley-as-a-separate-state-it-would-not-be-any-worse-than-what-it-is-now/ |access-date=2023-08-28 |website=Barak Bulletin |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Statehood demand ==
{{See also|Bengali Language Movement (Barak Valley)}}

The first call for separation was heard in the [[Barak Valley|Valley]] since the famous Bengali language movement of 1960s, where 11 ethnic Bengalis laid down their lives to protect Bengali language and culture in the valley. A memorandum was submitted to the [[States Reorganisation Commission]] of India in 1955. However, in the same year, the State Reorganization Commission in a report have concluded that the idea of a separate state did not have much merits because of the fact that then the population of Barak Valley was very less to meet requirements of separate statehood and the total area was less than the neighboring erstwhile districts of Assam - [[Naga Hills]], [[Khasi and Jaintia Hills]] and [[Garo Hills]], [[Lushai Hills]] etc. which later have been carved out as separate states under [[North-Eastern Areas (Reorganisation) Act, 1971|North-Eastern Areas (Reorganisation) Acts of 1971 and 1987]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Saikia |first=Arunabh |date=2017-12-29 |title=A tale of two valleys: What’s behind the demand for a separate Union Territory in southern Assam? |url=https://scroll.in/article/863011/a-tale-of-two-valleys-whats-behind-the-demand-for-a-separate-union-territory-in-southern-assam |access-date=2023-08-28 |website=Scroll.in |language=en-US}}</ref>

Presently, The Movement for separate state demand has been carried out by "[[Barak Democratic Front]]" leader Mr. Pradip Dutta Roy (A Bengali organization of the Valley).<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-08-13 |title=ECI has insulted the Supreme Court by hastily publishing the final list of delimitation, Separate Barak last resort: BDF |url=https://www.barakbulletin.com/en_US/eci-has-insulted-the-supreme-court-by-hastily-publishing-the-final-list-of-delimitation-separate-barak-last-resort-bdf/ |access-date=2023-08-28 |website=Barak Bulletin |language=en-US}}</ref> Another Organization- "Union Territory Demand Committee" (UTDC) has been demanding separate Union Territory status for the Valley since 1960s.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2018-01-16 |title=AIUDF chief opposes call to separate Barak Valley |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/aiudf-chief-opposes-call-to-separate-barak-valley/articleshow/62517812.cms |access-date=2023-08-28 |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>

== Aim and objectives ==

Struggle for existence, safeguard and welfare of the [[Bengalis|Bengali]] community and other ethnicities like [[Dimasa people|Dimasa-Kacharis]], [[Manipuris]], Hindi-speaking [[Tea-garden community of Assam|Tea tribe]], [[Tripuri]]s, [[Odias]] and other tribal groups living in the Barak Valley; Serve the students and the community for all round developments in education, literacy, various culture, language and socio-economy etc. Eradicate social evils likes– Illiteracy, untouchables and other superstitions which are detrimental to the society; Preserve rich ancient heritages – traditional cultures, historical relics, identity etc.; Claim legitimate constitutional rights and privileges for better growth, safeguard and co-existence and unity among various sections of valley's people. The various individuals and organizations like Barak Democratic
Front have demanded Economic
Council for the same.<ref>https://www.sentinelassam.com/north-east-india-news/assam-news/bdf-demands-separate-economic-council-for-barak-valley-582200</ref><ref>https://www.telegraphindia.com/north-east/demand-for-barak-valley-progress/cid/1729437</ref><ref>NEDFi
https://www.nedfi.com › ES...PDF
Scope of Industrial Development in Barak Valley due to completion of BG ...</ref>

== Reasons for Demand ==

Barak Valley is the most neglected and deprived part of Assam in terms of its infrastructure development, tourism sector, educational institutions, hospitals, IT industries, G.D.P, H.D.I etc. and is still lagging behind in comparison to the Assam's mainland Brahmaputra Valley which have access to all of those facilities. Brain drain have became a trend among the younger generation of Barak Valley. Many youths have left the Valley because of underdevelopment and have never returned.<ref>https://www.barakbulletin.com/en_US/brain-drain-will-continue-unless-barak-valley-finds-means-to-create-value-heres-why-theres-hardly-any-private-investment-in-this-region/</ref>

Despite being rich in natural resources, the region is poor and disputes exist over the sharing and use of natural resources with the mother state. The linguistic and cultural gap has exacerbated deep division between the two valleys, resulting in calls for separation, as Barak Valley is predominantly a Bengali-majority region, while the mainland Brahmaputra Valley region of Assam is Assamese-dominated with significant population being indigenous tribals.<ref>https://www.drishtiias.com/to-the-points/Paper2/statehood-demand</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Separatism in India]]
[[Category:Politics of Assam]]

Barak state movement - Revision history

Ajay Kumar at 18:06, 29 August 2023