GUWAHATI, March 9? Peeved at the ?dilly-dally? over formation of Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), leaders of All Bodo Students Union (ABSU) and Bodo People?s Action Committee (BPAC) today threatened to resume their intensive mass movement for a separate State. Addressing a Press conference here, ABSU President Rabiram Narzary, Adviser U G Brahma and other BPAC leaders today demanded that the Central and the State Government should create the much awaited BTC under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution without further delay as Bodo people were getting restless over the delay and might be compelled to go back to their demand for a separate State.
The Bodo leaders pointed out that it was the Central Government which proposed the concept of a BTC under amended Sixth Schedule during peace talks with the BLT backed by other struggling Bodo organisations. They stated that Bodo organisations scaled down from the demand for a separate State at the request of the Central Government in the greater interest of finding a lasting solution to Bodo problem, ?Now it is upto the Central Government to ensure formation of the BTC at the earliest,? they said. The Bodo leaders also called upon the State Government to desist from bungling with the Bodo problem by ?too much politicking? and stop discussing BTC issues with any ?illegitimate outsiders? like Sanmilita Janagosthiya Sangram Samity (SJSS) and listen to only Bodo and non-Bodo organisations from the proposed BTC area.
The ABSU-BPAC warned the leadership of SJSS to stop their ?anti-Bodo? movement otherwise face a ?vigorous counter movement? by ABSU-BPAC. The Bodo leaders warned that the ?counter movement? may go to ?any extent?. The Bodo leaders today dismissed the apprehensions, aired by SJSS leaders that rights of non-Bodos will be at peril in the BTC, an baseless and unfounded. Sri U G Brahma reiterated that all the political, economic and rights over land and property of non-Bodos living in the BTC area would be fully protected as per the provisions of the amended Sixth Schedule. The ABSU leader informed that non-Bodos would be given their fair share of seats to contest in elections to BTC, State Assembly and Lok Sabha from areas under the Tribal Council.
The Bodo leaders stated that at this point of time the major hurdle in demarcation of the boundary of the BTC was the difference of opinion over inclusion of about 52-55 villages in the Southern fringe of the BTC. They hoped that the issue would be resolved soon by the State Government which, they said, got sufficient time for the purpose so far.