All communities living in BTC will get equal dignity & opportunity: Sarbananda Sonowal
Our Correspondent
KOKRAJHAR: Dispelling all apprehensions that the 3rd Bodo Peace Accord would hamper the interests of other communities, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Monday urged the people not to panic and clarified that along with the Bodos, all the communities living in BTC would get equal dignity and opportunity. He said that the safety, security and constitutional rights of all communities in BTC region would be protected.
Addressing a mammoth gathering on the occasion of the celebration of the 18th Bodoland Day on Monday, Chief Minister Sonowal said that the day was a historic day for the people of the region as the BTC accord was signed on this day in 2003 between the Government of India, Government of Assam and BLT for the socio-economic development, protection of language, literature, tradition and political rights of the Bodo people. Terming the day as a memorial event, he expressed his gratitude to Bodofa Upendra Nath Brahma, Gurudev Kalicharan Brahma, Rupnath Brahma, Satish Chandra Basuamtary, Kanakeswar Narzary, Promod Chandra Brahma and Bineswar Brahma who worked hard to establish the Bodos as a master race in the world. He also recalled the sacrifice made by the martyrs who laid down their lives during the movement. He said that since 2003, the BTC areas witnessed unprecedented growth and development led by Hagrama Mohilary. He also said that BTC had exemplified development which was evident from the infrastructural growth in different areas.
Sonowal said the alliance with BJP, BPF and AGP would remain intact and they would work together for the growth and development of the State. He said, “This is the 21st century, a century of science and technology and competition and thus the upcoming generations should come forward with quality education.” He also urged parents and teachers to give adequate importance to the education of their children and to motivate and inspire them to be socially conscious citizens. He said the present government was working for the vibrant development of the country. He added that women had been empowered through various noble schemes in Assam and BTC as well. He further said that the government had taken up impressive schemes for farmers to help them grow.
The Chief Minister said that BTC chief Hagrama Mohilary was working for the development of all communities in the region and had brought changes in all spheres. Admiring the Bodos as brave and mighty, Sonowal said their courageous nature had made them achieve so much in all spheres. The Chief Minister also informed that in view of a memorandum submitted by the All Assam Santhal Students’ Union, the Assam Government had decided to consider the people who remain missing till date as a result of the conflict that took place in between 1994 and 1998 as dead and to provide ex-gratia as per rule. He also assured to take adequate measures for rehabilitation of the people who were affected in the conflict and also to positively look in to the demand for appointment of teachers in Santhali language. He further called upon the ULFA (I) led by Paresh Baruah to come to the negotiation table. The Chief Minister also sought support from all sections of the society in establishing peace in the State and hailed the insurgent outfits of Bodoland who laid down their arms recently.
BTC chief Hagrama Mohilary said the council was not only for the Bodos and that they had been working for the development of all communities in the region for the last 17 years. He said that as a new development, a sports college had been set up and Kokrajhar Planetarium was ceremonially inaugurated by Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal. He also said that a Forest School in Chirang, Agriculture College in Baksa and Engineering College in Udalguri would be set up soon. He further said that other than enlisting the Bodos of Karbi Anglong in ST (H), all clauses of BTC accord as mentioned in annexure IV had been implemented properly.
Hailing the Bodo Peace Accord signed on January 27 between the Government of India, Government of Assam and ABSU and four factions of NDFB and UBPO, Mohilary said the accord was a big achievement as arms culture had totally come to an end in BTC. He also promised to expedite rehabilitation measures for the surrendered militants of NDFB and urged the government to consider general amnesty for all their cadres irrespective of the nature and intensity of their crimes. He said that this would give a good signal and as a result no militant organization would ever take root in Assam again. He said that at least Rs 300 crore from the Rs 1500 crore package for BTR would be spent through different schemes exclusively for the resettlement of NDFB leaders and cadres.
The deputy chief of BTC, Kampa Borgoyary gave the welcome address. The celebration was also addressed by the State Science and Technology Minister Keshab Mahanta and was attended by ministers Chandan Brahma, Pramila Rani Brahma and Rihon Daimary, Rajya Sabha MP Biswajit Daimary, Vice-Chancellor of Bodoland University, Prof. Laishram Ladu Singh, president of the Bodo Sahitya Sabha (BSS), Taren Boro, and other dignitaries.
On the occasion, the Chief Minister gave away the Promod Brahma Literary Award, which comprises a citation, memento and cheque Rs 2 lakh, to Sahitya Akademi awardee Tiren Boro for his outstanding contribution in the field of literature, and the Jwhwlao Nileswar Brahma Cultural Award, which comprises a citation, memento and cheque of Rs 2 lakh, to renowned film producer and singer Rahendra Brahma for his outstanding contribution in the field of culture and tradition. He also felicitated Thunlai Narzary, medal winner in the world police games in shot put, and handed him a cheque of Rs. 1 lakh. He also handed over cheque to three NGOs for their achievement in their respective fields.
Earlier, the Chief Minister Sonowal ceremonially inaugurated the newly-constructed Kokrajhar Planetarium and Science Centre, the third in the State, in presence of BTC chief Hagrama Mohilary and his cabinet colleagues at Dimwlgaon, Kokrajhar. The planetarium, with 80 seating capacity, was built at a cost of Rs. 9.93 crore funded by the Assam Science and Technology department. The Chief Minister formally handed over the new planetarium to BTC chief Hagrama Mohilary in presence of State Science and Technology Minister Keshab Mahanta. It will be operated and maintained henceforth by the Museum and Archaeology department of the BTC.
In the morning, BTC chief Hagrama Mohilary paid glowing tribute to the Bodoland Movement martyrs at the Bodoland Movement Martyrs’ Cemetery at Debargaon where epitaphs of 2,626 martyrs are put in place. The martyrs’ families from across the State came and offered floral tributes at their respective crypts.
Later, Mohilary laid the foundation stone of the Sports College at Kanthalguri-Bangaldoba near Kokrajhar in presence of leaders of BTC and different organizations. He also ceremonially inaugurated the newly-constructed office building of CHD of Economic and Statistics at Kokrajhar. The new office building was constructed at a cost of Rs. 1.53 crore from SOPD fund.