Tribals to oppose Bodo Territorial Council

GUWAHATI: Thousands of tribals on Wednesday took out a procession in the city with traditional bows and arrows to voice their opposition to the proposed Bodo Territorial Council (BTC).
Justin Lakra, president of the All Adivasi Students’ Association of Assam(AASAA), addressing a rally at the Sona Ram High School ground attended by adivasis from all over the state stated that they were opposed to the creation of BTC as it would adversely affect the economic, political and social rights of the adivasis in the area.
He said the state government must ensure that the adivasis were included in the Scheduled Tribes list as they had been demanding the same for long but no effort had been made in this direction.
He alleged that the state government was going all out to please the Bodos. Lakra said though the government was talking of rehabilitating thousands of adivasis who were victims of ethnic violence and at present living in relief camps at Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon and Dhubri, the ground reality was that nothing had been done to solve the problem.
He said the present government spoke of looking after tea tribes in the state but the reality was different and there was urgent need to find a permanent solution to the problems of the tea tribes.
Other members of the tribal body said all parties sought their votes, but none had looked into their problems and their social and economic status continued to be what it was 50 years ago. At the rally, the adivasis resolved to launch a mass agitation in the state if the state government failed to send suitable recommendations to the Centre on the issue of granting ST status to adivasis before October 15.
They declared that the AASAA would hold a twoday-long national seminar on November 28 and 29 at New Delhi to be attended by adivasi leaders from all over the country including members of Parliament.