Gogoi govt backtracking on BTC issue, says BLT

KOKRAJHAR, June 22 ? The Bodo Liberation Tiger (BLT) has expressed strong resentment over the State government?s dilly-dallying attitude in solving long-standing problems of the Bodos. The outfit blamed the government functionaries entrusted to solve the Bodo tangle for the delay. Referring to the State Government?s commitment to framing modalities with regard to creation of Bodoland Territory as a core issue duly submitted to the Central Government, the BLT said the government has failed to keep its earlier promiseson substantive issues touched upon during several rounds of negotiations at government level with the BLT, a press release issued by BLT secretary Derhachat Basumatary said. The BLT office-bearer further said the Tarun Gogoi Government?s back tracking from earlier promises is aninsult to the BLT and betrayal of the Bodo people, as ?none of the commitments given to the BLT and the Union Government has been kept by the State government?. The resentment has flared up to such an extent that the BLT cadres have been very much provoked at the State Government?s failure in projecting the problem without any clear-cut policy. The State Government has tried to misguide the Union Government and non-Bodo organisations against the Bodo issue, the release said. Sri Basumatary pointed out that the draft proposal submitted to the Central Government in regard to creation of Bodoland Territory is not commensurate with the commitments. He lamented that the State Government has failed to reflect a positive attitude as yet as the social, cultural, economic improvement, rights over land and properties, language and culture customs and traditions along with indigenous adherence of Bodos cannot be protected without a concrete constitutional safeguard as a prerequisite. The draft modalities do not bear anything on ST status to the Bodos living in Karbi Anglong, Mishing, Hasong and Tiwa autonomous councils in terms of reference to amending the councils? Acts and demarcation of the proposed territory as desired by the BLT. Basumatary strongly opposed the BAC boundary proposal made in 1989 and termed it as anti-Bodo. The proposal has been rejected by the BLT and the entire Bodo people, he said. The statement further negated the possibility of council election as desired by the State government unless the autonomy question and inclusion of the tribal villages into the council is looked into. There can be no so-called Bodo Accord without inclusion of Bodo language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, setting up of Central University along with vocational institutions and inclusion of Bodo people living in Karbi Anglong in ST (Hills) list along with tribal people in the Tiwa, Mishing and Rabha Hasong autonomous councils and provision of equal rights and opportunities to the tribals as a whole including more autonomous powers to the said council, Basumatary said. Terming the recent allegation of AASA against BLT?s involvement in the firing at Amguri in Kokrajhar district as a blatant lie, Basumatary said it is a politically motivated conspiracy. AASA and some Adivasis militants in association with the ULFA are out to sully the image of the BLT and create trouble in brotherly relations between the Bodos and Adivasis.