Centre To Form 3-Member Committee To Look Into NE Autonomous Councils’ Demands, Issues To Be Addressed In A Month

The 10 Autonomous District Councils and Territorial Councils are spread across Sixth Schedule areas in Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Tripura

The Centre will form a three-member committee headed by MoS (Home) Nityanand Rai to look into the demands of the 10 autonomous councils of Northeast, informed Chief Executive Member of Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) Pramod Boro.

Representatives of 10 Autonomous District Councils and Territorial Councils of Northeast met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi today to press for their demands that the 125th amendment bill of the 6th schedule of the Constitution be tabled during the ongoing Budget session of Parliament.

Speaking to Northeast Live after the meeting, BTR CEM Pramod Boro termed the meeting “historic” and said, “Home Minsiter Amit Shah assred us of forming a 3-member committee under MoS (Home) Nityanand Rai. The committee will go through all the points and they will come with a solution within a month. This has been our demands for the last 30-40 years.”

“Every council was happy. There are certain small issues that need to be addressed and once these issues are adressed, our regional aspirations will be fulfiled,” Boro added.

A delegation led by Tipra Motha founder Pradyot Debbarma and BTR chief Pramod Boro submitted a memorandum demanding the same to Home Minister Amit Shah.

The Bill is aimed at strengthening the ADCs and territorial councils through direct funding, more rights, including land rights, and greater autonomy.

Speaking to the media after the meeting, Tipra Motha founder Pradyot Debbarma expressed his satisfaction with its successful completion.

“Union Home Minister assured us that all our issues will be addressed by a three-member committee within the next one month. All our problems will be individually heard by the committee for finding an amicable solution. We don’t want to get into confrontation as we want to give rights to our people and community,” Debbarma added.

The 10 Autonomous District Councils and Territorial Councils are spread across Sixth Schedule areas in Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Tripura.

Of them, Assam has three councils: North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council (NCHAC), Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC), and Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR). While NCHAC and KAAC are governed by the BJP, BTR is run by the United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL).

In Meghalaya, the three autonomous district councils — covering the Khasi, Jaintia, and Garo Hills divisions, respectively — are all governed by the National People’s Party-led ruling alliance, of which BJP is a part.

TIPRA Motha runs the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council.

In Mizoram, the Lai and Chakma Autonomous District Councils are governed by the Mizo National Front (MNF), which is also a constituent of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), while the BJP leads the Mara council.

Also Read: Talks for Tiprasa Accord implementation going positively: Pradyot Debbarma in New Delhi

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