Non-Bodo organizations urge CM to review BTR agreement

GUWAHATI: A total of 10 non-Bodo organizations of the BTAD (Bodoland Territorial Area Districts) have urged the Chief Minister to review the BTR (Bodoland Territorial Region) agreement.

Highlighting the plight of the communities, the bodies submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister on Tuesday.

The organizations stated that, the in the BTR region different ethnic groups had been inhabiting peacefully since the pre-historic time. In the meantime, the different ethnic groups were also exercising their own democratic rights in a legitimate way. But when the BTC Accord was implemented in the year 2003 through the MoU signed between the BLT and the Government of India partially for the beA total of 10 non-Bodo organizations of the BTAD (Bodoland Territorial Area Districts) have urged the Chief Minister to review the BTR (Bodoland Territorial Region) agreement.efit of the Bodo community, the other communities living in the region have become the victim of extremely derogatory condition, stated the bodies in the memorandum.

They said their socio-political and economic condition have degraded and are even losing their land right and minimum right of living with proper dignity.

The organizations highlighted that out of the total population of 36 lakhs, only 21 per cent consists of Bodos and rest 79 per cent include other communities.

"For the interest of 21 per cent Bodo people, the socio-political, economic, cultural and democratic rights of the 79 per cent people are ignored. As per the BTC Accord the villages having 50 per cent of Bodo population should be included in the BTAD area, but practically 3,082 villages are included in the BTAD area violating the norms of the MoU.

Further in the memorandum the 10 organizations highlighted a slew of demands that are:

 A constructive review of the BTR Accord-2020 which has been partially and illegitimately implemented only for the Bodos ignoring the hopes, aspirations and democratic rights of the majority people of the region.

 To include at least one member as the representative in the Commission for alteration of the area of BTAD constituted under Clause 3.1 of the MOS of BTR under paragraph 14 of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution of India.

 Protection of land, political and other Constitutional rights of the non-tribals inhabiting in the region.

 Reservation of jobs and other opportunities for non tribal youths in the BTAD region as per the government rules.

 Arrangement of BTC Election immediately positively before October 27, 2020 in a proper way and form the government in a revised manner in order to resume the development activities in the area facilitating the rights of the non-tribals.

The 10 organizations that submitted the memorandum are – All Koch-Rajbongshi Students' Union, All Adivasi Students' Association of Assam, All Assam Nath-Yogi Students' Union, All BTAD Co-ordination Committee Goria Moria Deshi Jatio Parishad, All Assam Kalita Janagosthi Students' Union, All Assam Sutradhar Students' Union, All Assam Bengali Suroksha Mancha, Chilarai Sena, Koch-Rajbongshi Mohila Samiti, and Ex-KLO Co-ordination Committee.

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