The Bodo Liberation Tiger (BLT) is not satisfied with the pace of progress in the implementation of the tripartite accord - Memorandum of Settlement (MOS) signed with the Centre and the State. It accuses the Assam Government of playing delaying tactics.

BLT publicity secretary Mainao Daimari alleged that the State Government failed to play its parting the formation of the interim Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) and till date, the boundary of the BTC has not been demarcated. The Cabinet Sub Committee on the Bodo issue, held its last meeting with BLT on September 19.  The meeting failed to break the deadlock on the demarcation  of BTC boundary.

The Cabinet Sub Committee is of the view that the boundary issue should be settled by the tripartite committee and the State Government would take a decision only after studying the report of the committee. But the BLT is of the view that the boundary issue can be settled by the State Government in consultation with the Bodo organisations without taking any approval of the Centre.

Daimari said that the State Government and the BLT should settle the boundary issue first and take formal approval of the tripartite committee to cut down delays. He sees enough   justification in the BLT demand for inclusion of 95 additional villages in the BTC.

“These   villages were part of  the Bodoland Autonomous Council (BAC) but were later excluded from the Council”. He said that after joint spot verification by members of   the Cabinet sub-committee and BLT, the committee recommended inclusion of 32 villages, but the recommendation was not accepted by the Government. “If the recommendations of the Cabinet sub-committee are not accepted by the Government, the credibility of the sub-committee will be at stake,” he remarked.

The BLT is also sore over the failure of the State Government to reorganise the districts of the    BTC. Daimari said that the BLT has made it clear before the Government that the boundary issue should be settled and the State Government should take a clear cut decision on withdrawal of cases relating to Bodoland movement before the formation of the interim council.

The State Government has directed the police stations to furnish the list of cases relating to the Bodoland movement, but the process of withdrawal of the cases would be a long one. Another key issue is providing equal rights to all tribals in the Rabha Hasong, Tiwa and Mising Autonomous Councils but Daimari alleged that though the State Government promised to move Bills in this regard in the last session of the State Assembly, it failed to do so. The State Government is planning to hold talks with the autonomous councils in this regard later this month and the BLT is of the view that the issue can be settled easily through dialogues if the Government shows its sincerity in settling the issue. Leaders of the BLT, the All Bodo Students’ Union and the Bodo People’s Action Committee met the Governor Ajai Singh and sought his intervention in settling the key issues to pave the way for formation of the interim council.

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