BPF severs ties with Congress

Minister Brahma, parliamentary secretaries to resign today

KOKRAJHAR, June 26: The eight–year–long Bodoland People’s Front (BPF)–Congress honeymoon in Assam came to an end today when the former decided to sever its ties with the government in the State. The BPF said in no uncertain terms that its alliance with the Congress was ‘not successful’ over the years due to ‘non–cooperation’ from the state government.

In an immediate follow–up of the decision of the party, BPF president Hagrama Mohilary urged Assam Transport and Tourism Minister Chandan Brahma, parliamentary secretaries Rakeswar Brahma and Maneswar Brahma, and MLAs taking portfolios in the Assam government to resign by Friday. The decision of withdrawing from the state government was taken at a policy–making body (PMB) meeting of the party held on June 24.

Talking to reporters at the PWD Guest House here, BTC Chief Hagrama Mohilary said that the people of the BTAD were deprived on all fronts due to non–cooperation from the state government. “It’s meaningless to stay with the government as it cannot protect life and property of the people in the BTAD,” Mohilary said. Mohilary said that there was no decline in extortion, killing and kidnapping in the BTAD. This, he said, has affected the BPF very badly as, being a coalition partner, it has no way out but to share the blame.

An emergent meeting of the party was held at the PWD Guest House in Kokrajhar on the acceptability of the PMB decision. Attended by Chandan Brahma, all the BPF MLAs and BTC executive members, the meeting took its stand on severing its alliance with the Congress. Mohilary said that the ST, SC and OBC communities in BTAD were the worst sufferers as the funds allocated for them had not been sanctioned by the Assam government since 2005. The issues, Mohilary said, were discussed with the officials and ministers concerned, but to no avail.

The BTC chief also pointed out the need for some amendments in the BTC Accord in connection with the Panchayati Raj in the 6th Scheduled areas. He said that the people of the BTAD were deprived of the facilities under the Panchayati Raj. He said that in lieu of the Panchayati Raj, the BTC had made modalities of Village Council Development Committees (VCDCs) but the Assam government did not approve it. He hoped that the July session of Parliament would make some amendments of the BTC Accord for the Panchayati Raj system in the BTAD. In such amendments of the 6th Schedule, Mohilary said, NC Hills and Karbi Anglong would also get the benefits of the Panchayati Raj system.

When asked on the impact of the dissidence in the state Congress, he said that the BPF had nothing to do with the dissident groups in Assam. He said that the BTC received only Rs. 380 crore from the state share of Plan funds. According to the population pattern, he said, the BTC has to receive 12.19 per cent from the state share on Plan funds, which should not be less than Rs 1,000 crore. He also said that most of the funds meant for the BTC were not released as per population pattern and on time.

(Source) The Sentinel Assam — The Largest Media group of North-East India — focused on news publishing. Combined circulation of the group is over 120,000 newspapers per day, making it the largest newspaper group in the region. The Sentinel is the only English daily in the Northeast India with five editions published simultaneously from Guwahati, Dibrugarh, Shillong, Silchar and Itanagar. For all local, news from Assam, national and international news please visit http://www.sentinelassam.com/