A CORRESPONDENT
LAKHIMPUR: The United Bodo People's Organization (UBPO) has demanded the State Government to accord land rights to the Bru community and to ensure developmental infrastructure in the inter-State border area in the Barak Valley.
The organization reiterated the demand after a delegation of the organization visited the Barak Valley in order to take stock of the latest situation there on Wednesday. During the visit, the UBPO delegation inspected the Bodo-rooted Bru community stricken area in the inter-State border under Karimganj district.
In this regard, talking to this correspondent, UBPO State president Manoranjan Basumatari informed that the delegation led by UBPO chairperson Badal Mussahari took part in a public meeting held at public playground of Medlisera village under Patharkandi Legislative Assembly Constituency (LAC) under Hailakandi district in the presence of UBPO vice-president Lalit Chandra Brahma, Bodo Kachari Welfare Autonomous Council (BKWAC) executive members Mathura Basumatari, Joykanta Bodo, Dasarath Bodo and Muhipal Bodo. The meeting was organized in order to discuss the current condition of the Bru community and it was held under the management of Rajesh Chourki, the leader of the Bru Revolutionary Army (BRA) which is under ceasefire at present.
In the meeting, UBPO chairperson Badal Mussahari said that the organization had continued its attempt to find out ways to resolve the problems of the Bodo-rooted Scheduled Tribes living in the Barak Valley, who were the sons of soil, by observing their current condition and situation. He laid stress on adopting effective measures by holding talks with the government in order to resolve the fundamental problems of the Bru community and to secure their land, political, cultural and academic rights.
On the other hand, BRA leader Rajesh Chourki said, "Bru community has been deprived of their land rights though the community has been living in that territory, which is known as British Tripura, since the days of King Veer Bikram Manikya, the last king of Tripura. Forty per cent families out of 300 families living in 18 forest villages, including Medlisera, Guwara, Moytulungma and Munapipara under Patharkandi LAC in Karimganj district, have no ration cards. The people of these hilly villages still drink water from natural streams. There are no hospitals and schools in the area. The people of these villages still have to use hilly, up and down routes though they have been living in the area since pre-Independence period."
Rajesh Chourki further added, "The financial, social, academic and cultural conditions of the Bru community people living in 67 forest villages, including Riflemora, Gutguthi, Waklaopara, Nunaipara under Katlisera LAC in Hailakandi district, in addition to Hatikhal, Kalakhal, Bandarkhal, Balikhal, Gambai villages under Dholai LAC under Cachar district, are also very critical. The Bru people have been facing the crisis of existence due to the aggression of two large communities of the native State and the neighbouring State."
Executive members of the BKWAC, Binod Basumatari and Pradip Swargiyari said in the meeting that the fund for the newly-constituted BKWAC would be invested to resolve the problems of the Bru community of the Barak Valley while Medlisera village headman Dohonjoy Reang urged UBPO to initiate steps to resolve the problems of the Bru community at the earliest.
According to the UBPO chairperson, the public meeting took resolution to take steps to pressurize the State Government, district administrations and all concerned to resolve the fundamental problems of the Bru community and demanded the State Government to pay attention to their problems. Before taking part in the meeting, the UBPO and BKWAC delegation held discussion with Khogeswar Pegu, the Deputy Commissioner of Hailakandi, over the problems of the Bru community. During the discussion, the Deputy Commissioner gave assurance that he would initiative effective steps soon to resolve the problems of the community, informed UBPO chairperson Badal Mussahari.
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