CM's implicit support for separate Barak appreciated, Programme to be taken on the basis of public opinion in future: BDF

On his visit to Barak Valley yesterday, Hon’ble Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that he has no objection to seperation of Barak Valley from Assam if the people of the region want it but as the head of the state he would like the Valley to stay with Assam. In a press conference conducted today, the Barak Democratic Front congratulated the Chief Minister for giving an implicit support to the separation call.

Addressing the press conference, BDF Chief Convenor Pradip Dutta Roy said that due to delimitation, 13 assembly seats have been allocated for the 42 lakh people of Barak Valley, while the number of seats for Boroland with a population of 24 lakhs has been increased from 12 to 15. The people of Barak Valley supported the recent bandh called by the BDF and various other political parties against this discrimination in delimitation process. Dutta Roy believes that the demand for separation from Assam is sure to get spontaneous support from the people.

The Chief Convenor emphasised that it was barely a month since the BDF called for separation from Assam. The campaign has not even started yet. After that the various programmes will be undertaken. But despite it, the people of Barak Valley have already started responding to the clarion call. Many are communicating with the organisation. Even the Chief Minister of the state has reacted in this regard. Dutta Roy believes this is a proof of their intentions and goals being correct.

The Chief Convener also said that five questions were put forward by the BDF for the Chief Minister to clarify during his Barak Valley visit. It was asked how many of the last 100,000 recruitments were from Barak Valley. But the Chief Minister did not give any reply in this regard. Dutta Roy said that as per a source, they have received information that not even a thousand recruitments were from Barak Valley. Since the Chief Minister did not respond to BDF’s question, it must be assumed that the information from the source is correct. Apart from this, no answer was given by the CM as to why Bengali was not accorded the status of additional official language in Assam, despite constituting one-third of speakers using the language in the state. The CM also did not answer why the naming of Bhasa Shahid Station has been kept on hold. The lack of answers by the Chief Minister implies that he is not interested in taking any decision on these issues. He also did not respond to the allegations of deprivation of Barak Valley in electricity distribution even though a deadline has been set to start the work of Karimganj Medical College. Dutta Roy reminded that the people of Barak Valley will pay attention to whether the promise is kept as there has already been a lot of controversy regarding the Medical College.

Chief Convener of BDF Media Cell Joydeep Bhattacharjee said the Chief Minister informed reporters that the people of Barak Valley are very happy with delimitation and everyone congratulated him for it. Bhattacharjee asked if that was the case then how did the Barak Bandh called by BDF and other political parties to protest against delimitation become successful. Also why are the various parties still protesting against delimitation. Even the Cachar BJP President’s son organised a protest march against the discriminatory delimitation process. So the Chief Minister is trying to cover up the issue. The Media Cell Chief Convenor said that before also, the people gave spontaneous support to the strikes called by the BDF over the killing of Assam Police jawans at Mizoram border and job deprivation. He congratulated the people of Barak Valley for this and said they are hopeful to get a similar response to the separation movement in the coming days. Bhattacharjee informed that the manifestos and campaign booklets of separate Barak Valley state will be handed over to the public within the next few days.

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