Row over inclusion of Bodo dominated villages of Sonitpur into BTR: Assam CM says, “There is nothing to protest”

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma today cleared the air over the row regarding the inclusion of 60 villages in the BTR from 5 assembly constituencies in Sonitpur district.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma who attended the 55th Annual Conference of All Bodo Students Union (ABSU) in Rowta, said that appropriate consultations were done with the concerned stakeholders before the decision was taken.

Chief Minister Sarma said,”There is nothing to protest. I think that before taking any decision we had consultations with everyone and ABSU has clearly said that give us only the Bodo villages and do not want non-Bodo villages.”

The Assam Chief Minister added that there can be no hindrances as far as inclusion of Bodo villages in BTR is concerned.

“If Bodo villages get included in BTR than there is nothing to oppose. We have already spoken to all the MLAs,” Chief Minister Sarma said.

Himanta Biswa Sarma informed that necessary reports have been submitted by the administration as he maintained that in villages where there is 80% of Bodo people, only those villages will be included in BTR.
Responding to queries by journalists, Chief Minister Sarma said if the circumstances leading to this development is misunderstood than it might have a negative impact on the society.

He said,”As a Chief Minister I have spoken to all the concerned MLAs. There must be a full stop to the matter here itself. If we drag the matter, the situation will once again end up in being tribal or non-tribal. As journalists You have responsibilities to ensure that peace and tranquility prevails.”

Backing the government’s decision to include the villages of Sonitpur district into BTR, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “The Bodo majority villages are in peace . We have included Mising villages in the Mising Autonomous Council. If we say about Sonitpur, lot’s of Mising villages are under the Mising Autonomous Council. Therefore, whatever we have done for the Misings, similarly we have done that for the Bodos. It only adds to the prevailing peaceful situation.”

It may be mentioned that on the occasion of the 74th Republic Day, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had announced that the BTR will be extended to include 60 villages of five assembly constituencies of Sonitpur district.

“Sixty villages in Dhekiajuli, Behali, Sootea, Gohpur, and Biswanath, with 80 per cent or more Bodo population, will be included in the BTR. It is as part of its commitment to implement the Tripartite Bodo Accord signed in January 2020 for permanent peace in the Bodoland region,” Cheif Minister Sarma had said.