ECI has insulted the Supreme Court by hastily publishing the final list of delimitation, Separate Barak last resort: BDF

In the final list of Assam delimitation recently published by the Election Commission of India, the intention to break the backbone of 1.2 million Bengalis in the state, irrespective of their religion is clear. Members of the Barak Democratic Front expressed strong reaction to the final delimitation list in a press conference organised at the BDF office today.

Speaking to reporters, BDF Chief Convenor Pradip Dutta Roy said that through this final list of delimitation, an attempt is being made to make the Bengalis of the state completely non-existent. He believes that those who are plotting such sinister designs do not know the history of Bengalis as they have shed the most blood for the freedom of the nation. 11 martyrs gave their lives for saving the dignity of Bengali language in Barak Valley. Therefore, the government is making a huge mistake by underestimating the self-esteem of Bengalis.

Dutta Roy said that the list was prepared by two non-Bengali MLAs in case of Barak Valley – one is a state level leader and the other is a local leader who has already gained notoriety as a syndicate chief. They have no idea about Barak’s history, geography and have no emotions for this land. They were assisted by an ex-municipality officer and an ex-BDO cum DRDA director who was once arrested for corruption. The BDF Chief Convenor said that it is essential to identify these Mirzafars and do their social boycott immediately.

Dutta Roy also said that a case is pending in the Supreme Court regarding delimitation. In view of the objections of lawyers of the combined opposition parties, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court has asked the Election Commission for clarification and directed to submit it in writing within three weeks. The Chief Justice refrained from giving any suspension in the delimitation process out of respect to the Election Commission. But why the draft was finalised so hastily is a mystery. Dutta Roy believes that the Election Commission has done a contempt of the Supreme Court. He said that the Hon’ble Supreme Court is a place of faith and trust of the public in the country. They also have full faith and trust in the Supreme Court. But the manner in which the list was published disregarding an institution that is the only protector of the country is undoubtedly unfortunate. Dutta Roy is of the opinion that the Election Commission was under undue influence from the Government to finalise the delimitation draft for political purposes.

Anti-Bengali sentiment has been going on in Assam for a long time. In 1980, hundreds of Bengalis were killed during the “Bongal Kheda” movement in the name of expelling foreigners. Despite the Prime Minister’s announcement that all detention camps in the state will be demolished, Asia’s largest detention camp has been built in Goalpara. The citizenship of 19 lakh Bengalis has been withheld due to NRC and their Aadhaar cards have been rendered useless. The BJP won the votes of most of the Bengali Hindus in the state by dangling the carrot of the Citizenship Amendment Bill, but the government has not yet implemented the Act since the last three years even after it was passed by both the houses of the Parliament.

Dutta Roy called on Barak’s MPs and MLAs to resign together after the finalisation of this list. He said that the delimitation process will be stuck because of it. He urged them not to forget their debt to language martyrs and not sell their motherland for cheap political gains.

The BDF Chief Convenor declared that they will not take any protest programme before the Supreme Court’s final verdict in this matter. But if Barak’s public demands are not recognised even in the Supreme Court and if the Election Commission as well as the Government take the initiative to implement the delimitation list in Barak Valley, there will be vehement resistance and protests. And in that case, the Valley will not stay with Assam anymore.

Conveners Hrishikesh Dey and Joydeep Bhattacharjee informed this news in a press release on behalf of BDF Media Cell.