NEW DELHI, May 7 – In an unexpected last minute glitch, the proposed Bills for amending the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution paving the way for creation of Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), is unlikely to be passed in the ongoing Budget Session, as it is likely to be forwarded to Parliamentary Standing Committee. An adamant Congress today stood its ground refusing to allow its passage in the Lok Sabha without referring it to the Standing Committee on Home Affairs, despite hectic lobbying by the two Bodo MPs and BJP members. The Bills are likely to be tabled in the Lok Sabha here tomorrow.
The Congress which is the main opposition party, has taken a stand that in keeping with the established practice the Bill should be referred to the Standing Committee for its views before the House takes it up for consideration. The passage of the Bill if referred to the Standing Committee may be taken up only in the Monsoon Session at the earliest. The unexpected set back prompted the two Bodo MPs including SK Bwismutiary and UG Brahma to meet senior Congress leaders of Assam at the Parliament House. Both APCC chief, Paban Singh Ghatowar and Bijoy Krishna Handique along with the two Bodo MPs had an impromptu meeting with Deputy Leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha, Shirvaj Patil, who said that in keeping with the ongoing practice the Bill would have to be referred to the Standing Committee.
They also met Dr Manmohan Singh, besides calling on Deputy Prime Minister LK Advani, “It all depends on what stand Central Government takes in the House tomorrow,” said Sri Brahma talking to this newspaper. The Union Cabinet last night while approving the Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) signed with the Assam Government and Bodo Liberation Tigers (BLT) sanctioned amendments to the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India and the Article 332(6) of the Constitution and the Schedule Tribe Order of 1950 to modify the list of the Schedule Tribes in respect of Assam.
Under the normal circumstances, the Amendment Bills would have had a smooth sailing, as both the Congress and the ruling BJP-led NDA Alliance Government were in favour of resolution of the vexed Bodo problem. Sources in the Congress said that they wanted the Bill to go before the Standing Committee because of stiff opposition to the proposal to accord ST (Hills) status to the Bodos living in the two Hill districts of Karbi Anglong and North Cachar Hills. Let the Standing Committee examine the Bills thoroughly before coming up with its recommendations, a senior leader said.
The Standing Committee headed by Congress leader Pranab Mukherjee also includes Dr Jayanta Rongpi who is a stout critic of the move to accord ST(H) to the Bodos. He has been claiming that the move would trigger tension in the area. The lone Bodo MP in Lok Sabha, Bwismutiary is also a member of the Standing Committee.
Meanwhile, Dr Rongpi in a statement today claimed that in meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister he was assured that Government shall examine all the aspects raised by the MP before considering any demand for inclusion of Bodos as ST(H). Therefore, as of now the Bill for ST(H) may not be brought before Parliament, Dr Rongpi claimed.
Meanwhile, sources said that the specific provisions relating granting ST(H) to Bodos living in the two Hill districts may not be part of the Bills being tabled tomorrow, as the Cabinet had not cleared it yesterday in view of the prevailing tension in the area.