GUWAHATI, Jan 29 ? After three years of peace talks between the State and Central Governments and the Bodo Liberation Tiger (BLT), only one issue, that is reservation of seats in the proposed Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) is delaying the signing of an accord for solution of the vexed problem. The leaders of the BLT are not willing to accept the State Government?s proposal on reservation of seats in the proposed council to be formed under the provisions of the amended Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India, while, the State Government, on its part, is yet to take any decision on the fresh proposal submitted by the BLT on the issue.
The BLT leaders today met Health Minister, Dr Bhumidhar Barman, who is also the chairman of the Cabinet sub-committee formed to deal with the Bodo issue, to discuss the matter. Talking to The Assam Tribune after meeting the Minister, the BLT vice chairman Kamal Mushahary said. ?The Accord can be signed as soon as the Government accepts our proposal on reservation of seats. We have submitted a fresh proposal, as per which, the total number of seats in the Council should be increased to 45. We said that 25 seats should be reserved for tribals, 15 should be open and five for non-tribals.? He asserted that they would not accept the State Government?s formula of seat sharing. It may be mentioned here that according to the State Government, 30 of the 40 seats in the Council should be reserved for tribals and the remaining 10 should be reserved for non-tribals.
Sri Mushahary said that the issue of demarcation of the boundary of the BTC is no longer a hundle in the way of signing of an accord as it was decided in the last round of tripartite meet that the boundary would be finalised by a tribartite committee within three months of signing of the accord.
Meanwhile, talking to this correspondent, Health Minister, Dr Bhumidhar Barman said that the issue of seat reservation can be settled soon through dialogue. ?We have settled all other issues relating to creation of BTC through a series of discussions and I am hopeful that the issue of seat reservation will be settled soon,? Dr Barman said. The Minister said that the Government forwarded the proposal on seat reservation only after it was approved by the State Cabinet and an all party meet. He justified the proposal by saying. ?The Government is keen to fulfil the hopes and aspirations of the Bodos. But at the some time the hopes and aspirations of the non tribals living in the proposed BTC area must be protected and that is why the government wanted to keep 10 seats reserved for non-tribals.?
Dr Barman said that the cabinet sub-committee can not take a decision on the fresh proposal on seat reservation submitted by the BLT. He said the same would be forwarded to the Chief Minister and another all-party meet would be convened, if necessary, to discuss the issue. Replying to a question on the agitation by the Sanmilita Janagosthiya Sangram Samiti (SJSS) opposing the creation of the BTC, Dr Barman said that the Government had talks with the SJSS in the past. He said that the Government was taking all steps only by taking all parties into confidence.