GUWAHATI, Feb 5 ? The three year long peace talks between the Government and the Bodo Liberation Tiger (BLT) are likely to culminate with the signing of an agreement in the next round of tripartite talks, to be held in New Delhi on February 10. Member of Parliament, Sri Urkhaw Gwra Brahma today told this correspondent that most of the major differences between the Government and the Bodo organisations have been narrowed down and ?we hope that the final agrement will be arrived at on February 10.?
Sri Brahma pointed to that the major difference between the Government and the BLT was on reservation of seats. But the State Cabinet recently offered a new formula for reservation of seats for the proposed Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) to be formed under the provision of the modified Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India. As per the new proposal, the total number of seats in the BTC will be 46, of which 30 will be reserved for tribals five will be for non tribals, and five will remain open, while, six members will be nominated by the Government.
Sri Brahma said that there was no dispute on the reserved and open seats but only the issue of nominated members will have to be discussed during the next round of tripartite talks. ?We are still not aware about the criteria of selection of the nominated members and that issue will have to be discussed,? he added. He, however, admitted that the Bodo organisations are yet to have formal discussion on the new formula on seat reservation put forward by the State Government. He also said that there was scope for discussion on the number of nominated members.
Meanwhile, the All Bodo Students? Union (ABSU) and the All Bodo Women?s Welfare Federation, in celebration, with the Gandhi Hindi Sahitya Sabha, are organising a seven day exhibition cum workshop of Bodo handicrafts and handloom at the Himachal Bhaban, Delhi from February 27 to March 5. Sri Brahma said that the exhibition will be inaugurated by the Union Human Resource Development Minister Dr Murli Monohar Joshi, while, the Governor Lt Gen (Retd) SK Sinha will be the chief guest in the closing function.