Assam News

‘Ex-NDFB Welfare Association is a political agent for specific politicians’: United Forum VP Gwrwbtha Rabha

The United Forum of Ex-NDFB's VP, Gwrwbtha Rabha, criticized the newly-formed Ex-NDFB Welfare Association, alleging it is politically motivated and acts as an agent for certain politicians.

Sentinel Digital Desk

OUR CORRESPONDENT

KOKRAJHAR: In a blow to a newly-formed Ex-NDFB Welfare Association led by Rujugra Mashahary as president and Danswrang Narzary as secretary, the vice president of the United Forum of Ex-NDFB Gwrwbtha Rabha on Monday said the recently formed Ex-NDFB Welfare Association was politically motivated and will work as an agent of some politicians.

Rabha while talking to media persons in the sideline of 2nd foundation day of the United Forum of Ex-NDFB held on Monday at Titaguri in Kokrajhar said the newly-formed welfare association had no imperative issue for the ex-NDFB members because their goal is to support some political leaders in 2025 BTC election. He said the welfare association will transform them to be just a ticket pursuer of some EM and MCLAs from ex-NDFB as their present positions are not good to come back to power. He also said an organization whose objective is to serve for specific political leaders will not last long and thus the welfare association would be of no use once the public reject them.

Rabha said four years have elapsed since the signing of the BTR accord but the problems of the ex-NDFB remained unresolved. The founder president of NDFB Ranjan Daimary, the key signatory of BTR accord in 2020 was sent back to jail after peace accord, 57 other members are still in different jails, cases are not withdrawn, complete rehabilitation is yet to be made while martyr families are not given ex-gratia in time and many cadres have to appear before the court although their cases are withdrawn, he said adding that it was unfortunate that the government is yet to resolved the problems of the ex-NDFB. He also said the most of the clauses of BTR accord including extension of boundaries in eastern part, inclusion of Bodos of Karbi-Anglong in ST (Hills) list, delimitation of constituencies and village notification of Boro Kachari Welfare Autonomous Council (BKWAC) are yet to be implemented properly. He further said the United Forum of Ex-NDFB was keeping distance from political parties but the newly formed Ex-NDFB Welfare Association is set to work under the shadow of a political party. 

Another vice president of the forum-Naisrang Wary said the Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in a meeting with them on September 21 in Guwahati assured them to solve the pending problems including release of jailed members including Ranjan Daimary and withdrawal of cases. He said the talk with the Chief Minister was positive but the response from BTC is not at all satisfactory. He also alleged that the government of BTR had not taken any significant initiative for the solution of their problems. He also criticized Deputy CEM Gobinda Chandra Basumatary, EM-Ranjit Basumatary and MCLA Sanjay Swargiary who were the then leaders of NDFB for failing to raise their issues.

While the United Forum of Ex-NDFB and the Ex-NDFB Welfare Association are logically divided and not far along, some of the conscious members of the martyr families who were present at the celebration of Foundation Day expressed concern that there might be a covert plan by the government, to split the ex-NDFB by forming a new group and aiding another group to lessen their strength. They noticed that the backbiting and criticism had begun, and that if they are not aware of it, they will soon become political scapegoats.

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