BJSM congratulates successful ST candidates; criticizes alleged violation of reservation rules

OUR CORRESPONDENT

KOKRAJHAR: The president of Bodoland Janajati Suraksha Mancha (BJSM), Janaklal Basumatary on Wednesday congratulated all the ST candidates who cleared the Combined Competitive Examination, 2018 conducted by the Assam Public Service Commissioner (APSC), result of which was declared recently. However, in some lucrative and important posts, ST candidates were deprived of their reservation quota, he said.

Basumatary said that in Assam Police Service (APS), out of 8 total posts, ST (Plains) was due to get one post as eight is more than half of 10 per cent. "As per quota rule, more than half is regarded one so one APS was due for ST (P), from which they have been deprived. It seems they have distributed it among General and OBC/MOBC categories only. Here OBC is favoured more than General category. Out of 8 posts, OBC should have got 3 and General 5 without ST (P). But 5 posts were reserved for OBC and 3 for General. However, 1 more post for OBC was added from General and thus six posts were reserved for OBC and two for General category. As per quota rule, the number of posts for each category should have been - General 4, OBC 3 and ST (P) 1. Here ST (P) has clearly been deprived of one APS post," he said.

He said that General and OBC categories were distinctly for advanced intellectually and hence it was it was absurd for both categories to claim equal rights in BTC notified tribal council with protected tribal people. "Rather the reservation of constitutional rights in the notified tribal administration in BTC 6th schedule should be preserved more strictly and all enacted law for protection of tribal rights in 6th Schedule administration should be implemented. For this, jobs, education, business establishments and economic distribution should be reserved 75 per cent for Scheduled Tribes (ST).

"This is to facilitate them to reach an equal position with the already advanced General and OBC categories. Both categories enjoy more benefit of General state administration. So there is no reason and justification for them to claim equal right as ST in tribal notified area BTC," said Basumatary.

He further said that land right regulation in BTC was same with other notified tribal belts and blocks in whole of Assam as provided in the Assam Land and Land Revenue Regulation, 1886 as amended in 1947. Land right is basically reserved and protected for ST in notified tribal belt and block area in BTC as well in Assam. But General non-protected class residents, who are permanently residing before creation of the tribal belts and blocks, enjoy the same land rights as ST.

Among other backward class people, they are included in the list of protected class along with ST. So no non-tribal community loses its land rights in BTC along with Assam, he said, adding, "The non-protected class of people who have been residing after creation of tribal belts and blocks, have no land rights in tribal belt and block area in Assam, including BTC. They have no right for any land transaction by transfer (purchase sale), lease, exchange, agreement, and by settlement.

Even the Chapter- X of the Assam land law was amended in 1960, prohibiting the registration of sale deed for land transaction between protected tribal and non-tribal non-protected class of people," he said. "They are considered illegal encroachers and liable to be evicted forth with. They cannot acquire any land rights in notified tribal belts and blocks in Assam, including BTC," he added.

Basumatary said that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders announcing that all classes of people would get equal right in all spheres of life, including land rights, was in violation of the constitutional rights and regulation in constitutionally notified tribal administration area BTC and violation of Assam land law in regulation of land right in Assam as well as in BTC, he said.

He alleged that the BJP was grossly violating the constitutional provisions in Assam to maintain non-tribal upper class hegemony over weaker, socially backward tribal people in BTC and other tribal area councils. "BJP's conspiracy for equality of land rights and equality of citizens' right is dangerous for the tribal people in Assam," he added.

Basumatary also said that the government could not justify the proposed transfer of OBC quota to ST quota for proposed transformation of OBC beneficiaries to ST beneficiary from higher level to lower level, harming the interest of the existing STs of Assam.

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