UBPO reiterates demand for formation of Bodo-Kachari autonomous council

From our

Correspondent

KOKRAJHAR, Dec 6: The United Bodo People’s Organization (UBPO), a movement-spearheading organization since its inception for over 10 lakh Bodo Kachari people living outside the jurisdiction of BTC, has decided to start an agitation. The organization said they were not getting any positive gesture from the government on their issues.

In a press statement, the president of the UBPO, Mihiniswar Basumatary said after formation of new executive committee of UBPO on November 4 in its third annual conference at Bathoupuri Bodo Sahitya Sabha Complex, Gorchuk, Guwahati, the organization had decided to take the path of agitation for their nine-point charter of demands, including the creation of Bodo-Kachari Autonomous Council outside BTC. He said the first central executive committee meeting was held on December 4 at Bodoland Guest House, Khapara in Guwahati under his president ship where the organization chalked out a series of agitation programmes to mount pressure on the Central and State governments for fulfilling their long-pending demand of creation of Bodo Kachari Autonomous Council, as well as other demands.

Basumatary announced that the organization would submit an ultimatum to Chief Minister Sarbanda Sowal, a memorandum to the Governor of Assam, Banwarilal Purohit soon, stage a dhar at Last Gate in Guwahati during the winter session of the Assam Assembly and stage dhar in all 21 district committees of United Bodo People’s Organization (UBPO) in their respective civil district headquarters. He also said the UBPO had been demanding for immediate start of formal talks between the UBPO, Union Government and State Government. He further urged the government to take pro-active political initiative and necessary follow-up actions on their nine-point charter of demands.

The nine-point charter of demands include the creation of Bodo-Kachari autonomous council under the provision of Sixth Schedule outside BTC, inclusion of Boro Kachari people living within Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao autonomous district council in ST (H) list as per the clause 8 of the BTC Accord, granting of land pattas to the indigenous Bodo Kachari tribes under the provision of Traditiol Forest Dwellers Act, 2006, restoration of alieted lands and ancestral territories of the tribal people within the tribal belts and blocks, TSP and forest areas and strict reinforcement of the provisions of the chapter X of the Assam Land and Revenue Regulation Act, 1886, urgent intervention of the Union Government and State governments to bring solution to the Assam-galand border dispute, creation of separate directorate for Bodo medium education, to take necessary measures for complete rehabilitation of ex-BLT members and surrendered NDFB members, to create Bodo regiment with strength of 10,000 Bodo youths in the Indian Army in the line of ga Regiment and to set up two full-fledged high power transmission capacity Doordarshan Kendras at Sanjari Nwgwr and Simen Chapori in Dhemaji district.