Bodo Peace Pact must not Harm Non-Bodos, Says MP Naba Sarania

Kokrajhar, January 26, 2020:

Kokrajhar MP Naba Kumar Sarania on Sunday opined that the non-Bodo community living in the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) area should not be negatively impacted after the signing of the "peace pact" between the Government and the four National Democratic Front of Bodoland factions.

"One of the main demands is the demand of area extension. Secondly, the Bodo people want complete control over the land. Thirdly, they also want complete control over the legislation. It would not be Bodoland, but something similar to that", Sarania told Inside Northeast, talking about the demands of the Bodo people who are currently in talks with the Government.

The MP said that many of the non-tribals living in the BTC area fear that once the pact is signed, they will lose their rights to Government employment and language, among other things. Welcoming the Government's move to resolve the long-drawn out armed conflict, Sarania, who was himself a dreaded ULFA militant once, urged the Government to ensure that the rights of the non-tribals in the soon-to-be-upgraded BTC are not compromised.

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"Not only for Bodos, but also for the non-Bodos staying here, this should be the last agreement. We hope that the harm and injustice that was done to the non-Bodos is not repeated with the signing of this new pact..."

It may be mentioned that the leaders of the NDFB factions, as well as other stakeholders are camped out in Delhi and the peace agreement is likely to signed on the 27th of this month.

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