BTC Secretariat Comes To Live As The Winter Session Begins Just Two Days After Ruckus

The two-day Winter Session of the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) commenced on Monday, with lawmakers deliberating on pressing governance and development issues in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR).

A key concern dominating the session was the severe shortage of personnel across critical departments. The BTC currently has 300 vacant gazetted Grade I and II posts, while the health sector alone faces a deficit of 150 doctors.

The situation is particularly alarming given that the BTR remains a malaria-prone zone, intensifying the need for adequate medical staffing.

“There are unresolved issues with Bodoland University, the medical college, and BSc Nursing colleges, especially concerning infrastructure.

Tamulpur district still lacks basic administrative buildings, from district to sub-divisional offices. Many matters require proper, focused discussion,” said Derhasat Basumatary, BPF chief whip and BTC Executive Member.

UPPL MLA Daobaisa Boro highlightes that the opposition sought clarity on the newadministration’s commitment to implementing all clauses of the Bodo peace Accord.BTC chief Hagrama Mohilary assured that the council would review the clauses before further steps.

In a move to ensure broader representation, six individuals from different communities were nominated as Members of the Council Legislative Assembly (MCLA).

They include Karmeshwar Roy (Rajbongshi), Ratan Chandra Rabha (Rabha), Nand Lal Magar (Gorkha), Hemprabha Devi (Koch), Ajay Kumar Hazarika (Kalita), and Ridip Kumar Deka (Sarania Kachari).

Outside the council hall, political tensions escalated in Bijni, where 22 Koch-Rajbongshi leaders and workers resigned en masse from the UPPL.

They cited the party’s “indifferent attitude” toward the community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status as the reason for their departure. 

“Workers and officials from the entire Bijni district resigned today. We thank the Assam government for including Koch-Rajbongshi in the ST report.

But since the UPPL opposed it, we chose to quit. The resignation drive will continue,” said Shankar Barman, vice-president of the Bijni District Youth Cell.

The resignations followed widespread protests by tribal students on November 29 against the state government’s decision to grant ST status to six additional communities.

The agitation escalated when protesters stormed the BTC Secretariat, tearing down the main gate and vandalising parts of the Assembly House.

In response, the Kokrajhar district administration invoked Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) on Sunday, restricting public movement and gatherings around the Secretariat Complex.

Chief Secretary Ravi Kota and senior officials from multiple Assam government departments attended the session, which focused on improving administrative efficiency and addressing longstanding gaps in essential services.

Also Read: BTC Secretariat Ruckus: Hagrama Alleges UPPL’s Involvement, Finds Political Motive