Assam : CM Himanta Biswa Sarma clears air over inclusion of Bodo villages in BTR; says there is nothing to protest

Assam Chief Minister  Himanta Biswa Sarma clears the air on the row over inclusion of Bodo villages in BTR. 
Responding to queries by reporters on the BTR issue, CM Sarma said, "There is nothing to protest. I think that before taking any decision we had consultations with everyone and ABSU has clearly said that give us only the Bodo villages and do not want non-Bodo villages.

"There can be no hindrance as far as inclusion of Bodo villages in BTR is concerned. If Bodo villages get included in BTR than there is nothing to oppose.", Sarma added.

" We already spoke to all the MLA's before including the villages in the BTR. Which ever villages had more than 80 percent Bodo speaking population, we had included only those villages." , the CM said.

Speaking on the land issue, CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said that he received assurance from BTR Chief Pramod Boro that all the people of BTR irrespective of any caste , creed , religion and community will get and can avail the benefits of land rights as per norms and legislations.

Recently, i myself distributed land patta to indigenous communities in Udalguri.Earlier on January 27, The Assam government announced that the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) will be extended which will include 60 more villages of five assembly constituencies of Sonitpur district.

While attending the state-level programme of the 74th Republic Day celebrations, Assam Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday said, "60 villages in Dhekiajuli, Behali, Sootea, Gohpur and Biswanath assembly constituencies with 80 per cent or more Bodo population will be included in the BTR and it is as part of its commitment to implement the Tripartite Bodo Accord which was signed in January 2020 for permanent peace in the Bodoland region."

The 60 villages including 43 revenue villages and 17 forest villages which fall under the Sonitpur district will be included in the BTR, according to the state government.

The Assam Chief Minister also announced that an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh would be given to 2001 martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the cause of the Bodo people.

Pramod Boro, Chief Executive Member of the Bodoland Territorial Council welcomed the announcement made by the Assam Chief Minister and said, "It will help to create a permanent peaceful environment in BTR."

"By announcing the inclusion of 60 villages in the BTR area, the Assam Chief Minister has implemented the clause of the BTR peace accord," Pramod Boro said.

On the other hand, the Bodo community people of Biswanath and other four assembly constituencies on Friday welcomed the state government's decision and celebrated it.

The people were seen as celebrating by bursting crackers.The BTR currently comprises four districts; Kokrajhar, Baksa, Chirang and Udalguri.

Earlier on Janury 28, A 12-hour Sonitpur bandh called by two students’ organisations to protest against the Assam government’s decision to include Bodo-majority villages in the Bodoland Territorial Region evoked mixed response.

Shops and commercial establishments remained closed and passenger vehicles kept off the roads in some pockets of the district during the shutdown, police said.

Security arrangements were beefed up in the district in view of the bandh, and no untoward incident has been reported so far, a senior officer said.