UBPO decries BPF's 'narrow politics' over formation of BKAC

KOKRAJHAR: Massive protest against State WPT&BC Minister Chandan Brahma, BPF president Hagrama Mohilary and minister Pramila Rani Brahma erupted in various places of Dhemaji and Lakhimpur districts under the banner of United Bodo People's Organization (UBPO) for their alleged deliberate attempt to prevent introducing the bill for formation of Boro Kachari Welfare Autonomous Council (BKWAC) outside BTC.

The president of the UBPO, Mihiniswar Basumatary said that the lackadaisical attitude of WPT&BC Minister Chandan Brahma towards the creation of BKWAC by bringing the requisite bill had deeply hurt the sentiments of Boro Kachari people living outside BTC. He said they launched movement for creation of BKAC in 2014 keeping faith on BPF as being well-wishers of Boro Kachari people outside BTC.

"Minister Chandan Brahma was my close colleague while we were leading the BLT movement under Hagrama Mohilary and everything went on smoothly. The Congress government in 2016 took the cabinet decision to form BKAC and after BJP came to power, they assured to form the council for Boro Kachari people. According to their commitment, the Sarbananda Sonowal-led BJP government in Assam had arrived at a final decision to bring the bill in the assembly session on September 2 but most ironically, the bill was not prepared by minister Chandan Brahma," he said, adding that Brahma had not work for BKAC for his narrow political goal. He also said that Brahma was the 'betrayer' of BKAC.

Basumatary said the UBPO never expected such narrow politics over formation of BKAC outside BTC as they were also part of the Bodoland movement with the same BPF leaders. He said the BPF had three ministers since the Congress regime and BKAC could have been formed much earlier if they were really interested as the BKAC movement was supported by all Bodo organizations, including ABSU. He also said the formation of BKAC was part of the clauses of the BTR accord signed on January 27, 2020 where the UBPO was one of key stakeholders of the MoS of BTR and hence nobody should have objection towards creation of the new council.

"We are not voters of BTC and we cannot interfere in BTC election and thus the issue of formation of BKAC by bringing necessary bill should not be politicized by any political party," UBPO president Basumatary said. He called upon all political parties of BTC to give them free hand to handle the issue and stop divisive politics.

The president of the UBPO said they were very clear in their stand that they had no objection to inclusion of villages of Sonitpur and Biswanath districts through setting up of Commission to BTC or BTR as per MoS as over 500 Bodos of undivided Sonitpur district lost their lives in the Bodoland movement. But they wanted that the remaining Boro Kachari villages of other districts should be included in BKAC. He also said that they were still determined to achieve their goal and called upon all the district committee leaders, activists and well-wishers not to succumb to narrow politics but to stick to their stand with collective responsibility.

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