Non-Bodos Question Imposition of The Bodo Language On Them In BTAD

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Non-Bodo Surakshya Samiti, Assam (NBSSA) raised questions over alleged conspiracies of removing Assamese as the official language in the BTAD (Bodoland Territorial Area Districts) areas and inquired whether Bodo is the declared official language.

In a recent advertisement about vacancies in the Indian Postal Service, provided in the Assam Circular, the candidates should have studied the local language at least upto IX standard (as compulsory or elective subject) as declared by the State government or as per constitutional provision reating to the 8th Schedule of the Constitution of India. For Assam, the language determined is Assamese excluding three districts of Barak Valley, where the local language is determined as Bengali, and BTAD areas, where the local language is determined as Bodo.

Now, advisor to the samiti Brojen Mahanta raising doubts about the intentions behind the advertisement questioned that since for the BTAD candidates the local language to be used is Bodo, “Has the State government declared Bodo as the official language for the BTAD areas or given consent for the same? If this was not what the State government intended, then has the Indian Postal Services decided for themselves that Bodo is the official language of the BTAD areas? Finally, is the State government forcefully imposing Bodo on all the people in BTAD?”

“To determine the official language for BTAD, the NBSSA had a discussion with the Axom Xahitya Xabha and it was determined that Assamese, English and Bodo are all official languages for BTAD. The BTC (Bodoland Territorial Council) in their council has hatched a conspiracy to remove Assamese as an official language in the BTAD which is proved in the Indian Postal Service notice. This is betrayal towards the non-Bodo people in the area. As such, we declare that we will protest against it. On September 3, we will burn the symbolic copies of the State and Central government in every regional unit of NBSSA. On September 6, we will stage a remonstration in the DC offices in four districts of BTAD and on September 10, we will have a march-protest ‘Raj Bhawan Chalo’. After this, a bandh will be declared in the BTAD areas and the national highway will be blocked,” said Mahanta.

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