Non-Bodo groups insecure post accord; threaten to intensify stir if rights denied

Several organisations including All Assam Koch Rajbonshi Students Union (AAKRSU), All Bodoland Minority Students Union and All Adivasi Students’ Union, Oboro Suraksha Samiti and Kalita Janagoshthi Students’ Union had voiced their opposition to the fact that they were not taken aboard before signing of the peace accord.

Speaking to The Shillong Times on Monday afternoon, AAKRSU general secretary, Gokul Barman said “the peace accord was inked in a haphazard manner without consulting the views and opinions of the non-Bodo organisations of BTAD”.

“We therefore oppose the accord as it is one-sided and imposed on us. The non-Bodo people of BTAD are apprehensive that in the wake of the agreement inked today, they would be deprived of their political, land, economic and educational rights,” Barman said.

“The enhanced powers to be given now to the Bodoland Terrritorial Council under the agreement is akin to a separate state, we feel. So we fear that the situation might aggravate for the non-Bodo people who are insecure today as opposed to peace which the accord has been signed,” he said.

He further said that the population of Bodo people in the four districts of BTAD is about eight lakh while that of the non-Bodo people is about 22 lakh.

“There are various people from other communities living in the four districts who feel insecure that the accord will have severe ramifications including a threat to their rights. Now with more powers to the council following this agreement, we fear that the situation may worsen for the non-Bodos, which we will oppose tooth and nail,” he added.

The organisations enforced a 12-hour Assam bandh on Monday to oppose inking of the peace accord without consulting the non-Bodo groups.

Meanwhile, Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who was present at the accord signing ceremony in New Delhi, said all the stakeholders of Bodo society have signed the peace agreement reaffirming territorial integrity of Assam.

“A commission will be constituted to examine and include villages which are not part of BTAD now but are contiguous to BTAD and inhabited by a substantial number of Bodo people. Villages in BTAD which are not substantially populated by tribal people will be excluded. So, there should be no fear in the minds of non-tribal people,” Sarma said.