From Preetam Brahma Choudhury
Kokrajhar: The All Bodo Students Union (ABSU) has welcomed government move for implementation of the clauses of the 3rd Bodo Accord signed on 27th January last, including renaming the Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD) as Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) and constituting four member BTR (Bodoland Territorial Region) area extension commission headed by former chief secretary of Assam P P Verma.
Addressing Reporters at Bodofa House in Kokrajhar today, ABSU Vice president Jayanta Basumatary said “Being the key signatory organization of the MoS, ABSU feels honoured with the step by step implementation of the BTR Accord by the Government of India and Assam.
“The All Bodo Students Union congratulates and extends our gratitude to the Government of Assam for prompt initiative in implementing the BTR Accord signed on 27 January 2020”.
The Govt. Assam today declared the formation of the Commission for the Alteration of the Area of BTAD (Clause 3) and as stated in the Clause 3.1, that a Commission is appointed under Paragraph 14 of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution to examine and recommend the extension of BTR area.
The Commission is constituted by notification of the Governor of Assam with former Chief Secretary, Assam P P Verma, BTC Administrator Rajesh Prasad, ABSU Vice President Jayanta Basumatary, and Social Worker Dalim Bayan as its core team. As per Clause 3.2 the Commission included representatives of the State Government as well as other stakeholders including ABSU and BTC as its members. It will submit its recommendation within six months from the date of notifications.
The panel, headed by former Chief Secretary P P Verma, will take a decision after reviewing applications from villages bordering the four BTR districts for inclusion of settlements with majority Bodo population in the region and exclusion of those with majority non-Bodo population from it, Senior Assam Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma told reporters in Guwahati today.
“It will also advise the government on increasing the existing 40 seats in the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) to 60 in the BTR, besides reorganising the constituencies,” he said.
The ABSU leadership said renaming of BTAD to BTR according to Clause 3.3 is of great significance and honour for the Bodo Accord signed by Bodoland Movement groups.
Stating that Cabinet Minister of Assam Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma has also declared to form within a month’s time the Bodo Kochari Welfare Autonomous Council (BKWAC) as stated in the Clause 5.1 for the development of the Bodo Villages outside the Bodoland Territorial Region and inclusion of Bodo Language as Associate Official Language in the state of Assam will be resolved accordingly as stated in the Clause 6.2, Union vice president said ABSU is delighted to find “third Bodo Accord getting implemented in letter and spirit with every objective of the MoS getting attention of the Government of India and Assam. ABSU is very much hopeful that all the clauses of the accord will get implemented phase by phase in days to come ”, Basumatary said.
“To make mention the earlier implementation with the constitution of Separate Directorate for Bodo Medium and Other tribal language as inaugurated on 5th September 2020, apart from this the matter of provincialization of the venture schools and colleges as per the provision of the BTR accord Clause 6.3 will be initiated soon by the government of Assam, he added.