Bodoland faces unrest again

The Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) area is facing a fresh bout of unrest. On the one hand, it has been alleged that several non-Bodo villages have been included in the BTC areas against which protests have started. The non-Bodo Protection Forum has been demanding exclusion of villages from the Bodo Territorial Autonomous Districts (BTAD) having Bodo population less than 50 per cent. On the other hand, the Bodo People’s Front (BPF) has alleged that the Congress Party is behind the present conflict between the Bodos and the non-Bodos.

The All Assam Minority Students’ Union (AAMSU) of the Dhubri district committee blocked the National Highway 31 at Gauripur and Makrijhora on June 6 in protest against the torture and killing of non-Bodo people in the BTC areas. The AAMSU has sought the Central Government’s interference to solve the problem. “It is pathetic that in a democratic country, the non-Bodo people are facing tremendous difficulties in the BTC areas. They have no security for their life and properties,” said AAMSU Dhubri unit general secretary Enamul Hoque. He further revealed that his organisation has strongly opposed the agenda of creation of separate Bodoland. “Presently, only one-fourth of the total population in BTC area are Bodo people and the rest are non-Bodos,” he pointed out, adding that creation of the Bodoland would increase the atrocities and harassment of non-Bodo people.

Not to be overshadowed, the People's Joint Action Committee for Bodoland Movement blocked the railway traffic in Kokrajhar and Gosaigaon Railway stations in demanding immediate creation of a Bodoland.

Talking to TSI, MP and leader of Bodoland People’s Front Bishwajit Doimari said that under the administration of the BTAD; roads, irrigation, during water supply facilities are available in almost all the villages and such facilities are not only for the Bodos, but also non-Bodo people living in the BTC area. He further said that the BTAD administration does not have the administrative power and thus finds it difficult to maintain control over the law and order situation.

Making the stand of the the BTAD administration clear, BPF leader and Assam Transport Minister Chandan Brahma said that no village that included in the BTAD will not be slashed in future.