Assam-Bhutan border sealed ahead of BTC election

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: In the run-up to the BTC (Bodoland Territorial Council) poll slated to be held on December 7 and 10, the Assam-Bhutan border has been sealed. The SSB (Seema Suraksha Bal) manning the border has also been alerted to maintain constant vigil on any suspicious movement. Apart from this, Bhutan has also been requested not to let any movement from their soil to Assam.

All such precautionary measures have to be taken as the past three BTC polls weren't incident-free. To cap it all, even today recovery of huge caches of arms and ammunition is a reality. In the interest of free-and-fair BTC poll all such measures are being taken.

The Kokrajhar District Administration has already identified 179 polling stations under its jurisdiction as sensitive and 102 others as hypersensitive. It has made security bandobast accordingly. The district has 390 polling stations in all. By the same logic, the district administrations of Chirang, Baksa and Udalguri have also identified sensitive and hypersensitive polling station, besides taking security measures.

Talking to The Sentinel, a top Police official said, "The recent recovery of arms and ammunition in the BTAD is an indication that some people have kept them hidden here. These arms haven't come from outside in the recent past. We can't rule out the use of such arms during the BTC poll. Taking the security aspect in view, we've made all bandobast.

"Even though all factions of the NDFB (National Democratic Front of Bodoland) have been parties to the BTR (Bodo Territorial Region) Agreement, some members of the outfit may still take shelter in Bhutan. Thus, it makes sense to seal the border with Bhutan."

After signing of the BTC Accord in 2003, the BPF led by Hagrama Mohilary made it to the BTC for three terms in a row. However, the ABSU (All Bodo Students' Union) and the NDFB had all along been opposing the BTC Agreement. They were adamant on their demand for a separate State. They, however, dropped their Statehood demand after the BTR Accord came into effect in January this year. The ABSU, NDFB, BPF, Central government and the State government are the signatories of the Accord.

Against such a backdrop, the UPPL comprising leaders of the NDFB and the ABSU with former ABSU president Promod Boro leading from the front is now a big threat to the BPF in the BTC poll. For the first time, the BJP has also fielded its candidates in the BTC poll against its ally – the BPF.

Meanwhile, sporadic clashes between the supporters of BPF and UPPL have also been reported from various areas under the BTC.

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