letter

Violent conflict

in Assam More than 40 people have been killed and nearly 2 lakh people have been rendered homeless in the recent ethnic violence of Assam. The CPI(ML) demands immediate restoration of peace and rehabilitation of the homeless.

Whatever may be the immediate cause of the violence, the fact is that lower Assam has been turned into an area of permanent ethnic tension by conceding the demand of the Bodo chauvinists. The Bodos constitute nearly 20% of the population in the area marked under Bodo Territorial Authority. The other 80% are Koch-Rajbanshis, Santhals, Muslims, Bengali Hindus and some Assamese speaking people. In the BTA council, the Bodos have been given overwhelming majority of seats. Peace cannot be bought in any area by allowing 20% of the population to rule over 80% of the people. It is not only the Muslims who have been systematically attacked by the Bodo chauvinists. In 1996, the Bodo chauvinists led by NDFB (an armed Bodo outfit) killed 400 Santhals in one day. The Rajbanshis are as much sons of the soil as the Bodos but they, too, have been targets of attack. The Bengali speaking Muslims had come to Assam some 150 to 100 years back. They have contributed to the development of agriculture in Assam in a big way. The story of millions of Bangladeshi immigrants entering Assam everyday is a myth propagated by the Assamese chauvinists and their mentors in Delhi.

The CPI(ML) PCC, opposed the formation of BTA in its present form and demanded a form of autonomy in which the Bodos, the Rajbanshis, the Santhals, the Muslims and Bengali Hindus enjoy equality of staus and equal rights. The CPI(ML) demands immediate restoration of peace after which a round-table conference should be convened to start a dialogue with all communities.

Santosh Rana, General Secretary
CPI(ML) PCC

Frontier
Vol. 45, No. 6, Aug 19-25, 2012