The ethnic violence in Kokrajhar was waiting to happen. The area falls within the Bodoland Territorial Areas District (BTAD) consisting of four contiguous districts Kokrajhar, Baska, Udalguri and Chirang. Created in 2003 after the surrender of the Bodoland Liberation Tiger Force (BLTF) led by Hagrama Mohilary, the BTAD was carved out of eight existing districts Dhubri, Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon, Barpeta, Nalbari, Kamrup, Darrang and Sonitpur. BTAD comprises an of 27,100 kms square and constituting 35% of Assam’s geographical territory. Many were opposed to the creation of the BTAD under the sixth schedule of the Constitution but Delhi which is the arbiter in all such cases does not think too far ahead.
Just by looking at the names of the districts we need not be told that at least five of them are Muslim dominated. The reality is that the Bodos are a minority in the BTAD and they have been trying to effect ethnic cleansing from time to time. This is the reason why arguments that ethnic homelands are not tenable need to be taken seriously. They become even more unviable when they are created for political reasons and at gun point. But that has been the modus operandi of all ethnic groups in the North East. Quite a few are demanding separate states. The Centre ends up granting them greater political and financial autonomy but without considering that the rule by a minority group over a dominant one is fraught with complexities that do not lend themselves to any attempts at good governance.
The problem with homeland demands is that the objectives are unclear or are articulated by an elite group of leaders – in this case the gun-toting variety. Although the BLTF claimed to be speaking for the Bodos the fact remains that they were eyeing for larger share of the political cake. With money flowing in to the BTAD areas, those who are at the helm of the autonomous council and are also part of the Dispur Durbar have got things cut out for themselves. It’s the common Bodo citizen who is still living in the margins. And now after the ethnic flames have singed people on both sides of the divide it is again the ordinary, helpless citizens who have to move to a relief camp. For some people life is a series of bad deals!