Won't allow Kamatapur that affects BTAD & RHAC: Indigenous Tribal Sahitya Sabha, Assam

 STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Indigenous Tribal Sahitya Sabha, Assam (ITSSA) has welcomed the delimitation of constituencies in the state. It has, however, opposed any move to affect the BTAD (Bodoland Territorial Area Districts) and the RHAC (Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council) to form the proposed Kamatapur state.

Talking to The Sentinel today, ITSSA's secretary-general Kamalakanta Mushahary said, "ITSSA had its central executive council meeting on Thursday. The meeting discussed various issues, including the organizational matters of the Sahitya Sabha. The meeting welcomed constituency delimitation in the state following the issue of a notification by the Election Commission of India. The meeting also welcomed the move to reserve the Lakhimpur Lok Sabha for ST candidates. It also welcomed the move to delimit the Kokrajhar and Udalguri Lok Sabha seats but opposed the move to de-reserve these two constituencies. We want the government to reserve these two Lok Sabha seats for ST candidates."

Mushahary said, "The ITSSA also welcomed the move to reserve the Boko and Dudhnoi Legislative Assembly Constituencies (LACs) under the RHAC for ST candidates. Our demand is 60 per cent of seat reservations for ST candidates in the BTAD. We also want the reservation of a LAC under the TAC (Tiwa Autonomous Council) in the Morigaon district and the proposed Chandrapur LAC, including Sonapur and Dimoria areas for ST candidates."

Mushahary said, "The move to form the Kamatapur state should not affect the Sixth Scheduled areas – BTAD and the RHAC. We will move the Centre and the state government against any such move. We have welcomed the talks with the KLO. The government should hold similar talks with the ULFA (Independence)."

On Mission Basundhara, Mushahary said, "The government should issue orders to the deputy commissioners not to deprive any indigenous tribal people of their parental lands. As decided by the State Cabinet and mentioned in the Mission Basundhara Scheme, the government should ensure one bigha of homestead land and 50 bighas of arable land for each family of indigenous tribal people. The government should allot land to the indigenous tribal people where they have occupation without classifying the land as Devottar, wetlands etc. We have decided to raise the demand for implementing Central Government's Forest Rights Act, 2006 in its spirit through Mission Basundhara."

Mushahary said, "The State Government should rehabilitate the 95 Garo Families evicted from Dekabasti and Paglabasti under the Lumding LAC in the Nagaon district, 51 Boro families evicted from Datalpara-Nalpara in Guwahati and 50-60 Bodo-Mising families evicted from a wetland in the Silsaku Beel."

Mushahary said that the ITSSA opposed the government notification issued on January 16, 2023, that re-designated the Principal Secretary of BTR as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of BTR without amending the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India. "It is a conspiracy to demote the rank and administrative power of the autonomous council under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution," he alleged and demanded the Centre and the State government to cancel the notification.

He said the Sopaidang Boro Society handed over 30 bighas of land under Sopaidang-Kharguli NC village to the ITSSA. ITSSA will set up its office building and a tribal language, literature and cultural complex there.

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