By Abdul Gani, TwoCircles.net,
Guwahati: Even after 16 months of the violence which rocked Bodoland Territorial Areas District (BTAD), people in the area are still reeling under crisis. If some victims have not received the compensation promised by the government, others have failed to resume their day to day activities which have brought a great sense of uncertainty.
With all these problems, All BTC Minority Students’ Union (ABMSU), a students’ body of the area has sought the governor’s interference to bring peace and harmony in the state.
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Activists of ABMSU stage protest in front of Assam governor's residence.
“The people in the BTAD area are living under very inhuman circumstances where they lack the basic human rights. Even after 16 months of the violence, affected people are still uncertain with their future. The government though had promised a lot to bring normalcy in the area, has done nothing significant. So, we have sought governor’s step in this regard,” said ABMSU general secretary Lafiqul Islam Ahmed after staging a protest in front of Raj Bhawan. They have also submitted a memorandum with their demands.
They are demanding enhancement of rehabilitation grants at par Delhi riot of 1984 and communal riot of Gujrat of 2002 besides prosecution and punishment of all the culprits involved in the violence.
“Rehabilitation of the victims of the violence in the present BTAD areas from 1987 till date should be made as clause 13 of BTC accord, rehabilitating all displaced Koch-Rajbonshi, Indigenous Assamese Hindu, Nath-Yogi, Adivasi, Nepali and Muslim communities. We also demand that all the victims should be compensated without any terms and conditions,” Ahmed said.
In an order the state government has had asked the affected people to accept a grant of Rs 50, 000 as the full and final settlement in BTAD and neighbouring areas and not to resettle on the government khas land or on forest lands on which these people have been living for decades.
Besides, another serious allegation brought by the students’ body is that of the free movement of illegal arms in the BTAD. “Till the free movement of arms are stopped and culprits are punished the BTAD will continue to be disturbed. Even today, people are being kidnapped at the gun-point and extortion by members of militant outfits is a common feature,” he added.
At least 77 people were killed and around three lakh were displaced in the violence which took place in July in 2012.
