Koch-Rajbongshis raged at ‘UTC’ replacing Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD).

Koch-Rajbongshis raged at ‘UTC’ replacing  Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD).

GUWAHATI: The All Assam Koch-Rajbongshi Sanmilani (AAKRS) is raged at the news report that a Union Territorial Council (UTC) is in the making, replacing the existing Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD).

Reports in the media say that a process is on to upgrade the existing BTAD into a UTC with more administrative and financial powers. It has also been reported that the Centre has already elicited opinions of non-Bodo representatives through its mediator AB Mathur. Mathur reportedly had a meeting with some non-Bodo leaders in Delhi on the issue. Reports suggest that the ongoing talks between the Centre and the NDFB(P) may lead to the formation of the UTC.

Talking to the media in Guwahati on Saturday, AAKRS working president Pranab Narayan Dev said: “The issue might have been taken with a view to diverting the attention of the people of the State from the current burning issue of Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016. How come the government thinks of forming a UTC in the BTAD that has only 23 per cent Bodo population. The 70 per cent non-Bodos have been made third class citizens with the formation of the BTAD. The so-called non-Bodo representatives who have given their opinion for the formation of the UTC should come to the fore. The Bodos aren’t indigenous of the State. If such a decision is taken, that will be tantamount to provoking arms struggle in the State. If the non-Bodos are ignored in reaching such a decision, Assam will witness bloodbath.”

Dev further said: “From 5 am of November 19 to 5 pm of November 20, 2018 we’ve called Assam bandh in protest against the move.”

Meanwhile, the Assam Police said in a press release issued on Saturday that no agreements have been reached for the formation of UTC as reported in the media. “In this regard, interlocutor of peace talks, AB Mathur was contacted by Pallab Bhattacharyya, Director General Civil Defence & Commandant General Home Guards and I/C Special Branch and it was clearly expressed by him that no such arrangements have been made as pointed out in some sections of the newspapers,” the release said. The police requested the organizations that have called Assam bandh on November 19 and 20 to call it off.

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