RUKM demands clearing of tribal belts and blocks from illegal occupants

From our Correspondent

KOKRAJHAR, January 17:Kumar Prithviraj rayan Dev Mech, the 19th Mech (Bodo) Royal descendant of Bodo King Maharaja Chikra Mech alias Chikth rayan or Chik rayan Dev was felicitated by the Ramfalbil Anchalik Jajati Suraksha Mancha and various organizations of the Bodos at Rupth Brahma memorial field, Ramfalbil in Kokrajhar district recently. More than 15 Bodo and tribal organizations actively participated in the felicitation ceremony and honoured Kumar Prithviraj. A colourful series of various cultural programs was arranged during the felicitation ceremony of royal descendants.

In this grand programme more than several thousand people from various areas of the Kokrajhar  district gathered to felicitate the present Royal of Sidli, Mech King Kumar Prithviraj rayan Dev  Mech. The huge number of people gave him a grand welcome in colourful Bodo traditiol ways. Along with Kumar Prithviraj rayan Dev Mech, the 18th royal descendant of Chikra Mech- Pradip rayan Dev Mech along with his wife Champak Lata Devi Mech were also felicitated.

Addressing the mass gathering, Kumar Prithviraj rayan Dev Mech expressed his gratitude towards the Bodo community and other tribal people as well as showed his open support towards the Bodoland State creation. He said that Bodoland was not the formation of the new Bodo state, rather it was the reformation of the Bodo (Mech) state where Bodos had their own rulers and history. Dev Mech said that the protection of tribal belts and blocks were must for the all round protection of the tribal people’s land rights, safety and security of their future generations. As per the Assam Land Revenue and Regulation Act of 1947, all the unprotected non-tribal people who had entered these tribal belts and blocks after 1947 are fully illegal immigrants as well as they have no legal rights to reside in the tribal belt blocks area or the present BTAD. He said that all those illegal immigrants had to be evicted very soon without any condition and compromise to the tribal peoples’ rights.

Dev Mech cautioned all the ‘O-Bodo’ organizations and slammed them stating that most of the self-proclaimed ‘O-Bodo’ community people were Pakistanis whereas few of them were Bangladeshis since Bangladesh was formed in the year 1971 while on the other hand uncountable immigrants had illegally immigrated this place before 1971 but after 1947 and hence they were Pakistanis not Bangladeshis. He said that various organizations of Assam were just politicizing the Bangladeshi issue rather they should demand the immediate deportation and eviction of all the illegally occupied Pakistanis. Moreover, there were no legal or ethical rights of the illegal non-tribal immigrants who acknowledged themselves as ‘O-bodos’  just to blindly oppose the Bodoland reformation.

Jatirindra Brahma, MCLA of Dotma constituency of BTC, Daorao Dekreb rzary, former  EM of BAC and the working president of the Bodoland Jajati Suraksha Manch (JSM), B. Sudem alias Chila, Army chief of NDFB (P) and many senior leaders from various social and political organizations- ABSU, BPF, BJP, UPP, Bodo Sahitya Sabha, All Assam Tribal Sangha, Greater Bodo  Bathou Afad, All BTC Gaon Bura Association, BTC Teachers’ Association along with various Bodo intellectuals, senior social workers, renowned Bodo public figures, heads of educatiol institutes and thousands of people actively participated in the grand felicitation programme of Kumar Prithviraj rayan Dev Mech.