-Hira Charan Narzinary
The
July-August 2012 violence between the Bodos and Muslims had its origin in the
removal of a Signboard planted on a plot of land. This land is situated at
Bedlangmari under Nayekgaon-Balaghat Tribal Block which is protected under ALRR
Act 1886 as amended in 1947. The immigrant Muslims encroached upon this plot of
land and put up a Signboard with a view to building an Idgah.
Paragraph 3B, sub-paragraph (1) of the Sixth
Schedule empowers the Bodoland Territorial Council within its areas without
prejudice to the provisions of paragraph 3 to make laws among others with
respect to Forest (other than reserved forests) and land and revenue.
The
Government of Assam in exercise of Section 160, sub-section (2) specified
Plains Tribes, Hills Tribes, Tea Garden Tribals, Santhals, Nepalis(later
excluded in 1969) Scheduled Castes and Koch-Rajbansis (included in 1985 and
1990) as classes of people entitled to protection. Section 164 sub-section (2) clearly
states that no landholder shall transfer his land in a belt or block to (a) any
person not belonging to a class of people notified under Section 160; or (b) to
any person who is not a permanent resident in that belt or block. This is in
accordance with Chapter – X of the Assam Land and Revenue Regulation, 1886
(Regulation 1 of 1886) as amended by the Assam Land and Revenue Regulation
(Amendment) Act, 19479 (Act XV of 1947).
As the said
plot of land where a Signboard had been put up is within Tribal Block and as it
belongs to the Department of Forest under BTC, the authorities of BTC have got
every right to remove any illegal construction on government land. Therefore,
the Signboard was removed on 28th May 2012 under the instructions of
BTC authority.
In protest
against this, the All Bodoland Minority Students’ Union called a 24-hour
Kokrajhar District bandh the on 29th May 2012.
The ABMSU
during the bandh targeted only the Bodos and attacked Danen Goyary, Dwimaly
Brahma, Bimal Brahma and Jwngsar Brahma with severe injuries. Police personnel
had also been attacked by ABMSU activists.
Does the law
of the land support illegal occupation of land by any individual?
Interestingly,
the law-breakers themselves demanded justice from the government. Is it not
ridiculous?
On 30th May Sri
Donald Gilfellon, Deputy Commissioner of Kokrajhar District convened an
emergent meeting of different Political Parties of Kokrajhar district. The
meeting condemned physical assault on civilians, burning of two-wheelers and
four-wheelers by ABMSU during the bandh and termed their action as
undemocratic. The meeting also expressed that ABMSU had pre-planned agenda to
destabilize the peace of the district. The Deputy Commissioner of Kokrajhar
referred in connection with the construction of mosque, temple etc. illegally
on public places, to the Supreme Court of India’s Order dated 29th
September 2009. The two components of the Order are (1) No unauthorized
construction shall be carried out or permitted in the name of temple, church,
mosque or gurudwara etc on public streets, public parks or other public
places., and (2) Unauthorized construction of religious nature which had
already taken place shall be reviewed on case-to-case basis and appropriate
action shall be taken in every matter as expeditiously as possible. In this connection the DC of Kokrajhar circulated
a Notification dated 1st June 2012 appealing all sections of the
people of Kokrajhar District, to maintain peace and tranquility in the area by
abstaining from spreading rumour that may create social tension among
people.
On 6th July 2012 unidentified gunmen opened fire
indiscriminately at Muslimpara Gaon near Antihara village under Dotma Police
Station. Consequently, two Muslims named Md. Narul Haque and Md. Mujibar Rahman
had been killed and three more persons injured. The Muslim community doggedly
believed that behind this killing the Bodos were involved. On investigation, the
police discovered that the incident was caused by the Kamatapuri Liberation
Organization terrorists while one of them was apprehended in connection with
the case registered in this regard. Though this was communicated to the Muslim
people of the area, it was not believed by them and they strongly suspected the
hands of the Bodo miscreants in the incident.
During the Lok Sabha debate
on 8th August 2012 Honourable Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde
confirmed this saying:
“On July 6, 2012 Kamatapuri Liberation
Organisation terrorists fired indiscriminately at Muslimpara Gaon under
Gossaigaon Police Station killing two persons belonging to Muslim community and
injuring three persons. One KLO terrorist was arrested in connection with the
case registered in this regard. Though this was communicated to the Muslim
people of the area, it was not believed by them and they strongly suspected the
hands of Bodo miscreants in the incident.”
Is there any ambiguity in
this statement of the Honourable Home Minister? The fact was duly conveyed to
the Muslims and we believe that they were aware of the fact. What then led the Muslims to rise against the
Bodos? The real ground for rising against the Bodos was the stiff resistance by
the BTC - incidentally run and administered by the Bodos – against their
encroachment on a plot of land belonging to the Forest Department controlled by
BTC.
On 19th July
2012 when some unknown miscreants on motorbikes fired indiscriminately in front
of the residence of Mahibul Haque alias Ratul and Md. Abu Siddique both of
Magurmari village under Kokrajhar Police station. Both have been said to be the
office-bearers of All Bodoland Muslim Students’ Union. Mahibul Haque alias
Ratul is a dismissed policeman, and well-known as an anti-social element in his
own locality who received only a minor injury on his leg. It is believed by the
local people that the happening was probably due to fallout on business matter.
The immigrant Muslim
miscreants immediately reacted to this incident and on the same day attacked
and ransacked the house of Jagadish Brahma, son of Lara Singh Brahma,
inhabitant of Bhatipara at about 9 pm rendering heavy damages to doors, windows
and the house. A case has been registered with Kokrajhar Police Station.
The Muslims deliberately
attacked four Bodo youths and brutally killed them under the nose of BTC
headquarters. This had happened this way. On 20th July 2012, four
Bodo youths named Pradip Boro (32 Yrs.), Dhrubajit Goyary (28 Yrs.), Jatin
Goyary (24 Yrs.), and Jwngsar Boro (27 Yrs.) were returning from Bhatipara side
towards Kokrajhar on two motorcycles. At Joypur village, which is 1 km away
from Kokrajhar Police Station, the four Bodo youths at about 8.25 p.m. noticed
a gathering of a large body of Muslims, and the road blockaded with boulders. A
Police patrol had just then arrived there and sensing that something did not
look right, the four Bodo youths took shelter inside the Police van. But almost
immediately the Muslim group dragged the four Bodo youths out of the van
forcibly and slaughtered them most cruelly. The Police on duty there led by
Bhuban Chandra Das, Officer-in-Charge of Kokrajhar Police Station, made no
attempt to rescue and save the lives of those four Bodo youths from the
clutches of the irate immigrant Muslims.
On 21st July
2012, Muslim miscreants attacked Paroura village, under Fakiragram Police
Station, burned down Bodo houses and killed two Bodo women named Dandi
Basumatary (62 Yrs.), wife of Laicharan Basumatary, and Dali Basumatary (65
Yrs.), wife of Atul Basumatary. Atul Basumatary (65 Yrs.) was also brutally
attacked and wounded seriously. He was admitted to RNB Hospital, Kokrajhar in a
critical condition. Another person named Randaram Narzary (70), son of late
Tekla Narzary, inhabitant under Fakiragram PS, was attacked and brutally
butchered. Villages When villagers were still busy in the cremation ground
where mortal bodies of four youths were being cremated. The immigrant Muslims
took advantage of this opportunity and committed the crime.
On 22nd July
2012, Bodo villages of Tulsibil, Aminkhata, Besorkona, Satbil under Gossaigaon
Police Station were looted and burned down by Muslim immigrants. They also
burned down Amritpur Brahma Sevashram, a residential High School, with 150 roll
strength, situated at Antaibari.
But the most heinous act of
abuse of official power was performed by Md. Abdul Razzak, I/C of Bhaoraguri
Outpost who arrested on 23rd July 2012, two Bodo youths named
Sanswrang Brahma (18 Yrs.), son of Daimusing Brahma and Joysat Brahma (19
yrs.), son of Goria Brahma of Koklingbari village under Gossaigaon Police
Station from Second Bazar. These two young boys were returning home after
participating at the Army Recruitment Rally at Titaguri, Kokrajhar. Md. Razzak
handed over these two young boys to Muslim miscreants who killed them brutally.
The dead body of Sanswrang Brahma was later recovered from a well at Second
Bazar while Joysat Brahma’s body has not yet been recovered. However, it is
presumed that he is already dead.
The immigrants Muslims
burned down Bodo villages of Alurbhui, Tintila, Chakrasila part I and part II
under Kokrajhar Police Station. One Charan Basumatary (65), son of late Saotal
Basumatary of Chakrasila Part-I was killed and thrown into a well. His
dead-body was later recovered on 28th July 2012.
The trail of violence
described above, leads us to infer that the aggressors were the followers of
Islam and were not Bodos. Violence started in full swing after the particular
incident of killing of the four Bodo youths on 20th July 2012.
Initially, the incidents were concentrated in Kokrajhar district but later on
due to the Bandh call given by All Bodoland Muslim Stutents’ Union ABMSU), All
Assam Minority Students’ Union (AAMSU), and O-Bodo Suruksha Samiti on 23rd
July, the violence spread from Kokrajhar, Gossaigaon to Dhubri, Chirang and
Bongaigaon.
A survey report reveals
that 8 tribal belts or blocks under Kokrajhar District comprising of 124
villages have been occupied by the Muslims. Similarly 4 each in Chirang and
Baksa Districts tribal belts or blocks 84 and 31 villages respectively have
been occupied by the Muslims. In other
words, a total of 234 villages under BTC area are now enjoyed by the Muslims
who are deemed to be of East Bengal/East Pakistan/Bangladesh origin and do not
fall under notified class of people under Section 160, sub-section (2).
On 11-12 August 2012, a team
of the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) visited the riot affected areas
in BTC areas and Dhubri.
The National Commission for
Minorities (NCM) after visiting relief camps submitted its report to the Prime
Minister. The report states “It was emphasized that some political dialogue
with Bodos and Shri Hagrama Mahilary, Chief Executive of the BTAD was
absolutely essential. The Bodos need to be told firmly that they cannot
under any circumstances engineer a mass exodus of non-Bodos. Nor would they ever
get statehood this way.” How a
statutory body like the NCM blames that the Bodos had engineered a forcible
mass exodus of non-Bodos (I think the NCM refers to the immigrant Muslims)? The
NCM reported that if security for the Muslims is not ensured they will become
militants in the future. The
apprehension of the NCM that Muslims might become militant if their security
was not ensured is a kind of incoherent rhetoric. Can the NCM assure that
Muslims will not become militant if they are given security? In fact, militant
Muslim outfit like United National Army has already announced their intention
for creating an independent Muslimland for Muslims living in north-east India.
Does the NCM think that they are “poorly armed”? Muslim Militant groups in Northeast
India have a common goal of greater independence for Muslims in the region.
Their tactics include armed attack, extortion, kidnapping, manufacturing and
smuggling of illegal weapons and explosives, and sale of illegal drugs. (Sunni
Militancy in India: An Analytical Atlas, prepared by Katherine Hoffmann, Jiro
Kodera, Peter Le Francois Charles Nicas, Jackson Reed, March 18, 2011).
The most tantalizing is the
comparison of arms owned by both the Bodos and Muslims made by the NCM. Hear,
what the NCM Report says on this count: “The conflict was unequal because the
Bodos had left over arms from the BLT (AK-47 etc.,). The Muslims are very
poorly armed in comparison, there can be grave danger in future in case
militant jihadi outfits from the rest of the country start supplying lethal
weapons in this area.” The study conducted by Katherine Hoffmann and others
proves that militant Muslims are already supplying weapons and explosives to
north-east particularly Assam. What
perturbs me is that this statement is pointing to the Bodos as the aggressor.
The NCM perhaps without any homework made this kind of statement. They should
have made thorough research work before uttering such prejudiced remark.
The Assam Governor had
instructed the DGP to conduct house-to-house search operation in BTAD for
recovery of illegal arms and to take strict action as per the IPC and the Arms
Act against the offenders. This is absolutely violation of human rights by the
Governor. He thinks that the Bodos only possess arms and the rest are not
having any arms. He is aware that the entire north-eastern region is insurgency
affected region. Therefore he should have instructed the DGP to search every
house in the whole of Assam to recover illegal arms that are possessed by
militant outfits.
We demand:
1
Md.
Abdul Razzak, I/C of Bhaoraguri Outpost be dismissed immediately from his
service and send him to judicial custody for misusing his power as government
servant. In fact, he should be sentenced to death.
2
Eviction
and or ejection of illegal occupiers of Tribal Belts and Blocks who are not
entitled to own land within the Tribal Belts and Blocks as per Section 165,
sub-sections (1), (2) and (3) of Chapter – X of the Assam Land and Revenue
Regulation Act, 1886 as amended from time to time.
3
Implementation
of Dhebar Commission Report of 1960-61 by restoring all the alienated tribal
lands within Tribal Belts and Blocks with immediate effect with retrospective
effect from the 26th January 1950 as recommended by the Dhebar
Commission.
4
Institution
of High Level Judicial Enquiry headed by one sitting Judge of the Supreme Court
to conduct a detailed enquiry into the aggression made by immigrant Bengali
Muslims on the indigenous Bodo people.
5
Strict
adherence to Circular No. RSD.7/84/181, dated 29th November 1989
issued by Revenue (Settlement) Department, Settlement Branch, Government of
Assam.
6
Unconditional
release of Pradip Brahma, MLA and Mono Kumar Brahma, EM who have been falsely
implicated.
7
NCM
to publicly ask pardon for its communalizing comments.
8
Governor’s
singling out of the Bodos as the possessors of arms and communalization the
situation is unbecoming of him. Central Government should warn him for his
un-parliamentary instructions and instruct him to abstain from such derogatory and
communal instructions in future.