Move for ST(H) to Bodos in hill districts sparks protest

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, May 28: The Union Cabinet giving its approval to the introduction of bills in the Parliament to grant Scheduled Tribe status to Bodos living in the hill districts of Karbi Anglong (KA) and Dima Hasao (DH) and Karbis living in the plain areas of Assam has worried the people in the two hill districts.

Addressing the press in the city today, three Hill Tribals Protection Forum (HTPF) conveners – former MP Jayanta Rongpi, MLA Mansing Rongpi and Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) CEM Tuliram Ronghang – said: “The rendra Modi-led BJP government at the Centre has taken the decision to grant ST(H) status to the Bodos living in Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao districts in Assam in order to derive political benefit out of it for the BJP. What’s surprising is that the Modi government has not taken the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) and the NC Hill Autonomous Council (NCHAC) into confidence while taking this decision. This is a rerun of the BTC Accord signed among the Centre, the Assam Government and the BLT in February 2003 when no organizations from Karbi Anglong and then NC Hills districts were taken into confidence.”

Clause 8 of the BTC Accord is about the grant of ST status to Bodo Kacharis of Karbi Anglong and NC Hills (now Dima Hasao) districts.

The three HTPF conveners said that they would resort to a 12-hour rail blockade at Diphu on May 30 in support of their demand for the revocation of the decision taken by the Union Cabinet. They also said that they would move the Supreme Court of India against the one-sided decision taken by the Union Cabinet.

“We’re not against any communities. However, we feel sidelined since such an important decision has been taken without taking us into confidence even as both the hill districts have their respective elected autonomous councils. The Centre hasn’t taken adequate care not to create problems for some other communities while solving the problems of a particular community. The two hill districts are very sensitive, both socially and politically. There’s apprehension of escalation of the situation. The BJP-led Centre has taken the decision instantly when other parties in Assam fared badly in the recently held Assam Assembly election,” the HTPF trio said, and added: “These are some of the woes that have worried the people of the two hill districts.”

They further said that as many as 45 organizations and political parties, including the BJP and the Congress, of the two hill districts met yesterday in order to ensure justice for hill tribes of Karbi Angling and Dima Hasao. The meeting decided to appeal to the Centre to revoke its decision for granting ST(H) status to Bodos living in Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao districts.

“The Bodos did raise this demand when the UPA was in power at the Centre. However, the move had to be revoked when we moved the Centre and opposed it,” the three HTPF conveners said, and added that they would carry out an awareness campaign among the people of the two hill districts in this regard.