ASSAM: BTC CHIEF HAGRAMA MOHILARY ASSURES NON-BODOS ON LAND RIGHTS

The Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) Chief Hagrama Mohilary has assured the leaders of the All Assam Gorkha Students Union (AAGSU) and other organisations that the land rights of the Gorkha people of Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD) will remain intact. Regarding the ongoing controversy over the new land policy of the BTC which governs BTAD comprising four districts, Hagrama told reporters that all the land rights of the protected class of the people as defined in Chapter X of Assam Land Revenue Regulation, 1886 would be applicable in the BTC area like other parts of Assam. Mohilary made the statement after meeting delegates of the AAGSU, the Assam Nepali Sahitya Sabha and the Gorkha Sanmiloni among others.

AAGSU president Prem Tamang told reporters that the discussion with the BTC Chief "was very positive as they have realised their mistakes and clarified the matter in details".

It may be mentioned that a 24 hour BTAD bandh on March 6 had turned violent forcing police to open fire to control protesters in Chirang district where two persons were critically injured and another person sustained severe burn injuries in neighbouring Kokrajhar district.

The bandh was called by the United Organisation Coordination Committee comprising non-Bodo organisations in Kokrajhar, including the All Koch-Rajbonshi Students Union (AKRSU), All Bodo Minority Students’ Union (ABMSU), All Assam Santhal Students Association, All Assam Gorkha Students Union, Nath Jugi Sanmilan among others. They opposed the land rights policy of the BTC barring people living in the Council area from selling their land to non-tribals and demanding land and political rights for non Bodos in the BTAD.