The Ministry of Home Affairs’ decision to set up expert committee to look into the issue of separate Bodoland state from Assam has triggered massive outrage.
An MHA official said normal life was disrupted in the Bodoland Territorial Area District (BTAD) region due to the protests organised by 19 non-Bodo organisations. Several organisations, including All Bodoland Minority Students’ Union (ABMSU), opposing the bifurcation, has called for a 12 hour bandh.
The official said decision to set up a committee to hold talks with stakeholders was taken in a hurry without considering the fragile security scenario in the region.
“The region is yet to recover from ethnic clashes and this decision may further fuel anger. The decision was taken due to political considerations,” the official said.
Assam Home Secretary G D Tripathy told Express that groups opposed to bifurcation clashed with police on Monday.
However, he said the forces on the ground handled the situation and no other violent incident was reported on Tuesday.
He also confirmed that a one-man committee headed by former Home Secretary G K Pillai was supposed to hold talks with the Bodo and non-Bodo organisations on Tuesday, but it was postponed.