Implement Para 5.1, Para 6.3 of third BTR Accord, UBPO demands

 A CORRESPONDENT

LAKHIMPUR: The United Bodo People’s Organization (UBPO) has once again demanded the Government of Assam to implement Para 5.1 and Para 6.3 of the third BTR Accord and hold election for the Bodo-Kachari Welfare Autonomous Council (BKWAC) at the earliest.

The organization has expressed vehement resentment over non-conduct of election for the BKWAC though a period of four years has passed since the autonomous council was formed. In this context, UBPO central committee president Manuranjan Basumatary in a press communique said, “The UBPO, since the organization was incepted, has been initiating movement in order to secure the ethnic identity, political, economic, academic, and social rights of more than ten lakh Bodo people living outside BTAD of the State. As a result of such movements, we managed to get BKWAC, which was constituted as per recommendation of Pata 5.1 of the Third Bodo Peace Accord inked on January 27, 2020. But the processes for the determination of the Bodo villages under BKWAC and the delimitation of the same council constituency have not been completed though four years have passed since the Third BTR Accord was inked.

“On May 2 of the current year, a notification was issued by the Department of Tribal Affairs (Plain) under the Government of Assam to determine the Bodo villages under BKWAC and for the delimitation of the 36 BKWAC constituencies in accordance with the provisions of the BKWAC Act, 2020. But the process was stopped by issuing another notification on May 4. We are very much displeased at this act of the Government of Assam. In this regard, we have seen the lack of good will on the part of the Government of Assam to complete the delimitation process of the BKWAC constituencies.”

In the same press communique, Manuranjan Basumatary further said, “We are never in support of the Government of Assam with regard to completing the BKWAC village determination process and BKWAC constituency delimitation process by excluding the Bodo villages located under Rabha Hasong area. If Sonowal Kachari Autonomous Council can be formed by covering the Sonowal Kachari villages located amidst Mising community people in Dhemaji district despite existence of Mising Autonomous Council, if Deuri Autonomous Council can be formed by covering the Deuri villages located amidst Sonowal Kachari community and Mising community people, if Thengal Kachari Autonomous Council can be formed by covering the Thengal Kachari villages located amidst Mising community, Sonowal Kachari community and Deuri community people, why cannot the BKWAC be formed by covering the Bodo villages located amidst Rabha Hasong community people?” In this context, Manuranjan Basumatary said that the Bodo community organizations had submitted their decisions and resolutions to the Government of Assam several times.

The UBPO president further added that an advisory committee was formed with minister UG Brahma as chairperson to advise the Government of Assam with regard to rendering development in the Bodo villages outside BTAD as per Para 5.2 of the Third BTR Accord. “But that advisory committee has submitted no proposal to the government for the due development of the Bodo villages outside BTAD since four years. Similarly, Bodo medium schools located outside BTAD have also not been provincialized as per Para 6.3 of the same accord,” Manuranjan Basumatary added while expressing resentment over the mentioned issues.

He asserted that the Government of India had formed a monitoring committee with Home Affairs, Government of Assam, ABSU and UBPO to review and implementation of the paras of the third BTR Peace Accord. “The government at the Centre has imposed the responsibility to the Government of Assam while the issues are raised in the meeting of the high-level committee,” Manuranjan Basumatary stated in the same press communique.

UBPO, through the press communique once again demanded the Government of Assam to complete the determination process of Bodo villages under BKWAC, to provincialize the Bodo medium schools outside BTAD, to implement the Forest Right Act, 2006 and to issue land pattas to the ST people and forest dwellers.

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