All Bodo Students Union (ABSU) urges Central Government to implement BTR Accord

OUR CORRESPONDENT

KOKRAJHAR: The All Bodo Students Union (ABSU) on Sunday urged the Government of India to implement all the clauses of BTR Accord signed in 2020 in a time bound manner and said that the union would resume its democratic movement from the last part of October. The union said that some of the vital clauses of BTR Accord, including area extension, inclusion of more villages from Sonitpur and Biswanath districts, notification of villages and constituencies of BKWAC and holding election, ST status to Bodos living in Karbi Anglong, and provincialization of schools and colleges, had not been implemented yet.

Talking to mediapersons, the President of the ABSU, Dipen Boro, said that the ABSU in its central executive meeting held in Rangia on Friday said that the union would start the programmes related to education, sports, and implementation of clauses of BTR Accord in letter and spirit from the last week of October. He said that the ABSU would take out district-wise rallies demanding proper implementation and a sit-in demonstration in New Delhi in the last part of November ahead of the Winter Parliament Session, demanding the 125th amendment of the Constitution. He also said that the ABSU would be compelled to start a democratic mass movement if the 125th amendment was not brought out.

On the issue of ST status to six communities, Boro said that the ABSU would not support ST status to six communities if the existing ST communities were affected. He, however, said they had nothing to oppose if the six communities were given separate entities without affecting the existing ST people. He also said that the existing ST communities had a lower population and that they would be deprived of their due constitutional rights and protection if the communities with larger populations were included in the ST list. BJSM leader Daorao Dekhreb Narzary has been criticizing the ABSU over its stand on ST status to six communities but the ABSU is not against the interest of all communities, he said, adding that the ABSU had been demanding separate entity to the six communities for their rights and privileges without affecting the existing ST communities.

Boro expressed concern over the restart of Melas in BTC districts where gambling, alcohol, and other restricted games were allowed openly. He said that the new government in BTC led by Hagrama Mohilary had moral responsibility over these Melas. He also urged the district administration to take preventive measures on open gambling so that the youths do not cross limits.

Replying to a question on the ongoing investigation of singer Zubeen Garg’s unnatural death, Boro said that the people of Assam were standing together for justice. He said that the investigation should be conducted properly and hoped that all those guilty involved in Zubeen Garg’s death would be arrested and punished.

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