'Government should recognize the legitimate rights of Bodo (Mech) people'

From our Correspondent

KOKRAJHAR, November 16: In a new twist, three Royal descendants of Sidli, Bijni and Lakhipur Mechpara- Pradip rayan Dev, the last descendant of Bijni, Kumar Prithviraj rayan Dev Mech, the last descentant of Sidli state and Bikramjit Choudhury, the last descendant of Lakhipur Mechpara reunited with the Bodo (Mech) group on Monday in a special programme of Bodo Literary Day celebration organized by the Bodoland University (BU) and Kokrajhar Government College at BU complex.

Addressing the gathering, the last descendant of the Sidli king, Kumar Prithviraj Dev rayan Mech said the great Mech family got split in course of time and their history was distorted by some historians. He said the Mech kings were deluded by the high-class societies who were from outside. He said in most of the times the kings were given special titles by the outsiders like rayan and Dev just to please them and gradually, the kings fell in this trap and lost their identity. He laid stress on rewriting the distorted history.

Prithviraj declared that he belonged to Mech (Bodo) and the royal descendants of Sidli, Bijni, Bidyapur, Lakhipur Mechpara belonged to Mech. He said the time had come for all great Mech families to fight unitedly for their legitimate rights and reformation of the great Bodo race. He said there was no question of demanding the formation of Bodoland state but it should be re-formed to Bodoland as the Bodos had State, kings and kingdom. The government should recognize the legitimate rights of the Bodo (Mech) people. He also said that a certain section in the guise of non-Bodo organizations had been working against a particular aborigil community in the region. He said, “I am being threatened by such dubious circle for raising voice for the rights of the Bodo tribe and termed as undemocratic and at the same time when a person speaks against the Bodo, works against the interest of the Bodos, is termed as secular.” He questioned as to why non-Bodo organizations were against the interest of a particular tribal community who were the aborigil people of the region.  

In the programme, the Principal of Kokrajhar Government College Dr. Biy Kr. Brahma gave the key note address while the Vice-Chancellor of Bodoland University Prof. Hemanta Kr. Baruach spoke on the occasion as the distinguished guest. The welcome address was given by the Academic Registrar of BU, Dr. Gonesh Chandra Wary.

Historian, critic and writer Hira Charan rziry of West Bengal, last descendant of Sidli king Kumar Prithviraj rayan Dev Mech and Bakul Chandra Basumatary, retired legal advisor of tiol Housing Board presented their semir papers.

Earlier, in the morning, the Registrar of Bodoland University Dr. Shekar Brahma hoisted the BSS flag followed by homage to martyrs of Bodo language and literature by Vice Chancellor of the BU, Prof. Hemanta Kr. Baruach.

Besides, there was special homage to Dr. Sunity Kr. Chettarjee (who wrote the history of Bodos) by Bijay Kranti Roy, president of Nikhil Bharat Banga Sahitya Sanmelan, homage to Maharaja Haoria Mech (Mondol) by his royal descendant Pradip rayan Dev, homage to Raja Prithuram Choudhury by his descendant Dipen rayan Dev and homage to Raja Shikra Mech by his royal descendant Kumar Prithviraj rayan Dev Mech.

The ‘Agaan wall magazine’ was iugurated by Jaklal Basumatary, retired Income Tax Commissioner, Government of Rajasthan while the Director of College and University Development Council of BU, Dr Dinoth Basumatary chaired the Dr Sunity Kr. Chattarjee Memorial Lecture. The programme was also attended by Kabiranjan Brahma, retired DIG of CRPF and other prominent persolities and intellectuals.  

On the other hand, the general secretary of BSS, Kamala Kanta Mashahary said that the rumours spread by the AKRSU leaders who stated that the Sabha organized the felicitation programme for royal descendants, was not based on fact. He said the BSS did not organize this programme but it was organized by the Kokrajhar Government College and Bodoland University.