BTC polls: Congress slams BJP for merging Biswanath, weakening 6th Schedule powers

Biswanath, Sept 10: Ahead of the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) elections, the Congress party has intensified its campaign in Biswanath district, where 12 villages were recently brought under the council’s jurisdiction.

The party has been engaging voters through small meetings across the newly added villages, highlighting local issues and constitutional concerns.

Former Congress MLA Praneshwar Basumatary, making a return to active politics, campaigned in parts of the Nagda region alongside his party’s candidate recently.

His presence drew attention not only for his political comeback but also for his pointed criticism of the ruling dispensation.

During a campaign event, Basumatary raised what he termed a “serious constitutional concern”, arguing that areas classified as “satellite autonomous” do not fall under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.

He alleged that the BJP government, by incorporating parts of Biswanath, Sonitpur, and Lakhimpur districts into the BTC under this classification, is effectively “pushing the council outside the Sixth Schedule framework”.

“This election is crucial for the people of the BTR because the BJP conducted the BTR agreement but never implemented it. What they did was effectively push the Sixth Schedule out of the BTC,” Basumatary said.

He further explained that in Assam, satellite autonomous councils for communities such as the Misings, Rabhas, and Deuris do not enjoy Sixth Schedule protections.

“By including Sonitpur, Biswanath, and Lakhimpur into the BTC, they made it a satellite. As a result, the Sixth Schedule was removed, decentralising power in a way that creates space for corruption,” he claimed.

Basumatary also alleged that the BJP and its ally, the UPPL, misled people by claiming to have brought peace and development.

“The BJP and UPPL claimed they bought peace, but it was the Congress government under Tarun Gogoi that ensured stability. Whatever development the BTC has seen happened during Congress rule,” he said.

Criticising the council’s functioning, Basumatary highlighted the weakening of grassroots institutions.

“In every meeting, they compared the VCDC to borali maas. But if the VCDC is weakened or dissolved, rights shift to MCLAs who can misuse them. Forest rights have not been granted, and instead of giving land rights to people, the BJP is evicting them. This has enraged BTC residents, who are now determined to reject the BJP in the upcoming elections,” he added.

Basumatary’s remarks have added intensity to the BTC election campaign. With the polls just days away, his allegations are expected to ignite heated debate in the region’s political landscape.