Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, Feb 12: Expressing disappointment over the process of rehabilitation of former militants, BPF MLA Charan Boro on Friday said in the Assam Legislative Assembly that a number of NDFB members are yet to come under the rehabilitation scheme of the government.
“The rehabilitation process still remains incomplete and a number of former militants lag behind in availing the benefits. On the other hand, some of them are facing legal issues, too. Ranjan Daimari is still in jail even after signing of the BTR Accord. The State government is aiming to make Assam militancy free, but to fulfill the goal we have to develop trust among people,” Boro said.
For the interest of a militancy-free Assam, Boro stressed the need for expediting the rehabilitation process, withdrawal of cases against former militants and release of members of militant organisations, who come to the peace process, from the jail.
Boro alleged that at present, many innocent people of Bodoland are facing trouble during search operations conducted by Assam Police to trace out the illegal arms.
The BPF MLA also questioned the State government on granting of Scheduled Caste status to six communities of Assam.
He also urged it to consider the demands raised by various communities to form autonomous councils for their development.
“Earlier, the Prime Minister announced Rs 1,000 crore for the development of Bodoland. Against the assurance, till date Rs 600 crore has been allocated by the State government. I request the government to release the remaining Rs 400 crore too, otherwise many development works of Bodoland will come to a halt. Moreover, we also need immediate justice to Lafikul Islam who was killed by unknown assailants,” Bodo said.
Delivering his last speech as MLA of the present Assam Legislative Assembly, AIUDF MLA Mamun Imdadul Haque Chawdhury stressed the need for eliminating food habit politics from the State.
“The politics over food habits of people should stop. Rather, we should concentrate more on strengthening coexistence between majority and minority communities of Assam. For the purpose, we have to devise a formula of coexistence. Now there is a fear prevailing among common people against a certain community. We have to stop the development. I think, especially, members of the minority community should come out with some initiatives to eradicate all such odds,” Chawdhury said.
Another AIUDF MLA Rafiqul Islam pointed out that merging of schools has become a serious issue in the State as in many schools the number of students has increased beyond the capacity of accommodation.
