Former MP demands declaration of creation of Bodoland during Modi's speech

From our Correspondent

KOKRAJHAR, January 18: Former MP from Kokrajhar and now the president of World Bodo tiol Confederation (WBNC) and Assam Bodo People’s Confederation, Sansuma Khunggur Bwiswmuthiary today demanded that the Prime Minister rendra Modi should ensure the creation of Bodoland state in the north bank of the River Brahmaputra as per the demand made by the Bodos and other indigenous and tribal people of the region.

In a press statement on Monday, Bwiswmuthiary said that on August 14, 2014 the WBNC submitted a memorandum of 50 pages containing 27 charter of demands inter alia on the urgent need of the creation of a much awaited and long overdue separate state of Bodoland carved out of Assam in the northern bank of the Brahmaputra. In this regard Bwiswmuthiary expressed resentment that Prime Minister rendra Modi had not taken care of any of their long-pending genuine issues even after around two years in power. He said on August 26, 2014 too he had submitted the reminder to the aforementioned memorandum to the Prime Minister but he did not receive any response. He urged Modi to declare his clear-cut policy on the long-pending genuine issues of the aborigil Bodo people of Assam, particularly with regard to their legitimate and historically prerogative demand for the creation of a separate state of Bodoland, while addressing the people of Kokrajhar on Tuesday. The Prime Minister will visit Kokrajhar on Tuesday.

Bwiswmuthiary said it was also a notable fact that none of the successive State Governments of Assam and also the Union Governments of India had implemented the recommendations made by the erstwhile U.N. Dhebar Commission set up in 1960 which had advised the Union Government of India to restore all the alieted tribal lands with retrospective effect from January 26, 1950. He said the Government of India should immediately take appropriate steps to help ensure the inclusion of the Bodo-Kacharis living within Dima Hasao and Karbi Anglong Autonomous Districts in the ST (Hills) list and also take appropriate steps to create a Grand Autonomous Council under the provisions of the constitution as covered by Article 244 (2) and 371 (2), (a), (b) &(c) for the safeguard and overall development of the indigenous Bodo people living outside the BTC.

The former MP said the NDA government at the Centre should take necessary steps to upgrade all the autonomous councils created under the State Act like Mishing Autonomous Council, Tiwa Autonomous Council, Rabha Hashong Autonomous Council, Sonowal Autonomous Council and recently announced and proposed Bodo-Kachari Autonomous Council, to full pledged autonomous councils under the provision of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution.

The government, he said, should take necessary steps to help ensure the granting of permanent land pattas to the indigenous Bodo tribal people as per the provisions of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditiolly Forests Dwellers Rights over Forests Lands Act, 2006 with immediate effect. He also said the Government of India should direct the Assam Government to enhance the reserve quota meant for the Scheduled Tribes (Plains) from existing 10 per cent to 20 per cent in order to accommodate the new five tribes which have been included as STs in 2002 at the time of revising the list of the STs at the all-India level.

The Centre, he said, also should take immediate action plan to help enhance the reserve quota meant for the STs in the Central services from existing mere 7.5 per cent to at least 15 per cent in order to accommodate the newly included STs which was enlisted in 2002 while revising the list of the STs at the tiol level.

Bwiswmuthiary added that the Goverment of India should take immediate action to set up a domestic green field airport at Kokrajhar in order to provide air connectivity and to help develop the BTC area in all spheres of human development index.