As protests demanding land rights for non-tribals living in the Bodland Territorial Areas District (BTAD) have erupted different parts of the region, a closed-door meeting between the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) administration and representative of various Gorkha organisations of Assam was held at the BTC Assembly conference hall on the controversial land right issue in BTAD.
The BTC was representative by BTC Chief Hagrama Mohilary, BTC Principal Secretary Biren Chandra Phukan, MLA Chandan Brahma and other senior BTC officials while the Gorkha organisations were represented by All Assam Gorkha Students’ Union (AAGSU) President Prem Tamang, Assam Gorkha Sammelan President Laksmhi Sedai among others.
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The meeting had a detailed discussion on the controversy related to the land right issue.
BTC Chief Mohilary clarifying the BTC stand on the land issue said the Executive Council of the BTC meeting unanimously reiterated that the provisions of the Assam Land and Land Revenue Regulation 1886 including the Chapter X shall be effectively implemented in respect of the matter relating to the Land and Land Revenue in BTC area.
Mohilary also said that the Koch-Rajbongshis of erstwhile Goalpara district of BTC Area shall remain as protected class of people as per government notification No RSD 1/85/17, Dated 29/4/1985 which has become part of the Chapter X along with other protected class of people such as plain tribals, hill tribes, tea garden tribal communities, Santals, Scheduled Castes and Nepali cultivators as notified by the government of Assam vide no RD.69/46/19 dated December 5, 1947 and also the Nath Yogi community of Assam.
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AAGSU President Prem Tamang expressed satisfaction at the assurance of the BTC administration.
Tamang said their only concern was on the land rights of the Gorkha people of Assam and never with the BTC.
Meanwhile, a team under the leadership of Renault Karim Sarkar, General Secretary of the All Assam Minority Students’ Union (AAMSU) on Wednesday visited the Kokrajhar Rupnath Brahma Civil Hospital to see Safiur Rahman of Khaitpara under Abhiyapuri in Bongaigaon district who sustained burn injuries as bandh supporters poured petrol and set an auto-rickshaw on fire on Tuesday at Choraiklola area in Kokrajhari district.
Rahman, whose condition is still serious and his injured friend are undergoing treatment at RNB Civil Hospital. The AAMSU has been demanding that free treatment be provided to the injured by the district administration, BTC authority and the Assam government and Rahman be referred to the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital for better treatment.
Rahman was on way to Kokrajhar from Bholpur along with a friend when they were stopped and later set the vehicle on fire after pouring petrol in which Rahman sustained 40 per cent burn injuries.