KOKRAJHAR, Dec 7 ? A new chapter in political history of Assam got under way today with the swearing in of the interim body of the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) in presence of the Deputy Prime Minister LK Advani. Meanwhile, taking this opportunity, the Deputy Prime Minister called upon all the militants groups of India to follow the path shown by the Bodo Liberation Tiger (BLT) and to come forward for talks with the Government for solving their problems.
A 12 member interim council of the BTC, headed by former chief of the BLT Hagrama Basumatary alias Hagrama Mohilary, was sworn in by the Lower Assam Division Commissioner Emilly Choudhury in presence of the Deputy Prime Minister, Governor Lt Gen (retd) Ajai Singh and Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi. The ceremony-cum-mass rally for peace and prosperity of Bodoland was attended by cross sections of people from different corners of the State. The Chief Executive Member Hagrama Mohilary, who was the chief of the BLT till the outfit was disbanded after the surrender of all its members yesterday, was first sworn in followed by the Deputy Chief Chandan Brahma. The other 10 members of the interim body including the two non-Bodo members Badan Hazda and Niren Rai were administered the oath together. The first meeting of the newly formed interim council is scheduled for tomorrow.
Addressing the mammoth gathering, the Deputy Prime Minister said that by giving up arms, the BLT has shown the way to all the militant outfits of the country. He hoped that all the militant outfits of India would follow the path shown by the BLT and come forward to solve their problems through negotiation. He assured that the Government of India would give due consideration to the genuine problems of all sections of people of India. He also assured that the Central and the State Governments would take steps for the rehabilitation of the BLT members who surrendered yesterday. Advani assured that the Central Government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, is keen on solving the genuine problems of all sections of people in every corner of the country. But at the same time, he said, ?if any organisation think that it would be able to put pressure on the Government of India by taking up arms, it is mistaken as the Government would never bow to such pressure.? He said that if any militant outfit gives up violence and comes forward for talks, the Government would definitely give due consideration to their problems.
The Deputy Prime Minister revealed that the BLT first sent feelers to the Central Government, expressing its willingness to come for talks after more than three years of talks the memorandum of understanding for the creating of the BTC under the revisions of the amended Sixth Schedule of the constitutions of India was signed on February 10 this year. He assured that the Central Government is committed to implement all the causes of the accord. He also assured that the Planning Commission, Home Ministry, Finance Ministry and the Department of Development of North East Region (DONER) would extend all possible cooperation to the BTC for the development of this area and added that it is up to the BTC to make proper use of the funds to be made available. He announced the Central Government?s decision to set up a 100 bedded hospital and a nursing college in the BTC area and said that the State and the Central Governments would do the needful to fulfil the other demands of the Bodos including the demand for inclusion of Bodo language in the Eight Schedule of the Constitution of India.
Addressing the gathering, the Governor, Lt Gen (retd) Ajai Singh said that the formation of the BTC is a historic occasion not only for the Bodos but also for the entire nation. He said that the Government of India has given a chance to the Bodos to govern themselves and they should make good use of the opportunity. He hoped that the election of the BTC would be held within a period of six months and called upon the Bodo leaders to give equal treatment and security to all sections of people living in the BTC area. He expressed the view that the development of the entire BTC area is the need of the hour.
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi reiterated his appeal to all the militant outfits operating in Assam to come forward for talks for solution of the problems as was done by the BLT. He said that no problem can be solved through violence and hoped that the other militant groups like the ULFA and the NDFB would follow the path shown by the BLT and come forward for talks with the Government by abjuring violence. He said that the non-Bodos living in the BTC area should not be apprehensive of their security. Member of Parliament UG Brahma, in his welcome address, requested the Central and State Governments to formulate a rehabilitation package for the BLT members who laid down their arms yesterday.
The public rally-cum swearing in ceremony of the interim BTC was attended among others by the Union Minister incharge of the DONER, Dr CP Thakur, the Union Minister of State for Home, Swami Chinmaynand and the dignitaries. It may be mentioned here that the BLT was formally disbanded yesterday after all the 2641 members of the outfit led by their chairman Hagrama Basumatary surrendered arms, bringing and end to an era of violence in the Bodo dominated areas of Assam.