Focus will be on effective development of BKWAC: Mihiniswar Basumatary

OUR CORRESPONDENT

KOKRAJHAR: The Chief Executive Member of the new interim executive council of Boro Kachari Welfare Autonomous Council (BKWAC), Mihiniswar Basumatary, who gave up the post of president of United Bodo People's Organization (UBPO) on Friday during the last day of its 7th annual conference held at Uriumghat in Golaghat district, said that he would focus on smooth development of the new council.

Basumatary said that the Boro Kacahri people living outside BTR districts were much backward in all spheres and they felt deprived of their constitutional rights and justice. He said that the UBPO launched its movement for demanding the creation of Boro Kachari Autonomous Council outside BTC since 2014 as a large part of the Bodo concentrated areas of the State could not be a part of BTR due to geographical reasons.

"The Government of Assam, during the reign of former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, took initiative to form the Boro Kachari Autonomous Council and passed a cabinet decision in this regard on February 28, 2016 but could not do so soon as the general election was declared four days later," he said, adding that they approached the national secretary of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Ram Madhav through the then Rajya Sabha MP Biswajit Daimary and discussed their demand in presence of minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma on March 13, 2016. He said that Chandan Brahma, the BPF-backed legislator was the WPT&BC Minister to look after their demand. But Brahma tactfully delayed the process for bringing bill for the new council.

Basumatary reiterated that the systematic delay in formation of Boro Kachari Autonomous Council was not because of the State Government but because of the Bodoland People's Front (BPF) that always tried to take just political advantage out of it. He also said that the UBPO was compelled to reverse its decision and over 700 members of the organization joined the BJP on October 9, 2020, leaving the BPF due to the alleged deceitful strategy of the party. He further said that the BJP took special initiative for the creation of new council and finally the bill for BKWAC was passed on January 30, 2021 to make the new council a reality. He thanked Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, State Finance Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma and former Rajya Sabha MP Biswajit Daimary for their proactive role to form the BKWAC.

Basumatary, the CEM of BKWAC, said that he would pay attention on the development of education, agriculture and culture as first priority in the council. "Since the road connectivity in all remote Boro Kachari inhabitant areas is poor, along with other basic infrastructures, my attention will be on that subject in the days to come," he said, adding that there was need of proper road map, outlook and decision for effective development of BKWAC. He called upon the people of BKWAC to extend cooperation for smooth functioning of new council.

Meanwhile, all 14 interim executive members of the BKWAC were felicitated on the occasion of the 7th annual conference of UBPO at Uriumghat in Golaghat district with traditional Aronai. State Finance Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, on the second day of the session, conveyed his best wishes to the new interim executive council led by Mihiniswar Basumatary as CEM and Gambaru Basumatary as chairman. He hoped that the Boro Kachari people living outside BTR would see a wave of development under their leadership.

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