OUR CORRESPONDENT
KOKRAJHAR: As the deep anger against the alleged anti-tribal remarks of MP and Assam State BJP President Dilip Saikia still prevails at large in the tribal region, Bodoland Janajati Suraksha Mancha (BJSM) has also called for a boycott of movement of Saikia in BTC 6th schedule council and appealed the tribal voters of his constituency to give him befitting reply in near future. The BJSM condemned his recent remarks in the strongest terms.
The working president of the BJSM, DD Narzary, said that the remarks of MP Dilip Saikia against the existing tribal land laws and 6th schedule provision of BTC sparked widespread outrage among the tribal people of BTC and outside. He said that the BJSM being a leading organization dedicated to protecting tribal land rights in BTC, had branded Saikia as ‘anti-tribal’ and ‘jealous’ of the progress of the Bodo people, who achieved the sixth schedule status through decades of struggle and the sacrifice of over 5000 martyrs.
“The tribal belts and blocks-established in 1886 under British rule and strengthened in 1947 through chapter-X have long served as the ‘Roksha Kobos’ (Protector) of tribal lands but Saikia’s intention to scrap these provisions under the Assam Land And Revenue Regulation Act exposes the dangerous anti-tribal agenda of the BJP,” Narzary said, adding that Saikia’s close association with ABSU President Dipen Boro and BTC chief Pramod Boro were responsible for enabling such open anti-tribal statements. He said that Dipen Boro openly campaigned for Saikia in the last Lok Sabha election, even using helicopters to support his victory and that as a result, he was compelled to keep mum on Saikia’s anti-tribal stance. He also said that due to this alliance, non-tribals had increasingly encroached upon tribal belts and blocks and purchased land in BTC, undermining the sixth schedule protections.
Narzary called upon all tribal people and all BTC residents to boycott MP Dilip Saikia and restrict his movement in BTC. He also called for enmass resignations of all tribal members working with the saffron party and withdrawal of their support. He also called upon all tribal people to quit the UPPL, which he said, as an ally of the BJP, was facilitating the dismantling of sixth schedule powers. He further said that the BJSM reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding tribal land, evicting encroachers, and restoring the rights of the tribal people of BTC.
At the same time, the BJSM leader further said that in every election campaign meeting, the Chief Minister of Assam Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma had been inciting the non-tribal communities to go against the tribal people offering land rights to all citizens to polarize tribal and non-tribal votes. This was a malicious attempt of Sarma to destroy the rights of tribal people, he said, adding that this kind of dirty politics against the tribal people proved his bad intent over tribal communities.
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