OUR CORRESPONDENT
UDALGURI: The Udalguri district committee of All Assam Gorkha Students' Union (AAGSU) took out a protest rally in Udalguri demanding to implement the protected class status to their community people in BTC.
The rally started from Monpur Stadium field and thousands of Gorkha people took part and expressed their dissatisfaction over the alleged lackadaisical attitude of the BTR government regardings their land rights in the BTC region.
In a memorandum submitted to Assam Chief Minister through the Udalguri Deputy Commissioner, it was stated that the Gorkhas have been residing in the BTC area prior to the enactment of BTC treaty i.e. February 10, 2003. They were declared as protected class community by the State Government and the government directed to include the whole community under the protected class status vide notification RSS 502/2019/26-A dated 20/07/2021. They were entitled to get all the land rights enjoyed by protected class.
But despite the recognition by the State Government, the BTR government led by Pramod Boro is reluctant to recognize the protected class of the Gorkhas, stated the memorandum. The AAGSU also stated that most of the land in which Gorkhas live have still not been transferred to their heirs or successors owing to the reluctant approach of the officers concerned and the Land and Revenue department of BTC.
The people living for generations in touji land or even in eksana patta land have not been given permanent patta or permanent settlement citing the restriction of land rules of BTC, which is not applicable in the case of Gorkhas as per their protected class status, stated the AAGSU.
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