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Covid-19 safety norms violated as BJP's ally BPF protests in Assam

Last Updated 29 September 2020, 02:16 IST

Safety norms to avoid Covid-19 went for a toss during a protest march organised by members of Bodoland People's Front (BPF) at Tamulpur in Assam's Baksa district on Monday demanding early election to Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC).

BPF, headed by insurgent leader turned politician, Hagrama Mohilary is a regional ally of the BJP-led government in Assam.

Most BPF members were seen raising slogans without masks and did not maintain social distancing while staging a protest against the state health department's proposal to postpone the elections till December. Although some members wore masks, they were not wearing properly and their mouth and noses were seen half covered.

This despite the fact that Assam was witnessing between 1500 to 2000 Covid-19 positive cases almost every day. The Covid-19 cases in Assam reached 1,69, 985 on Sunday while the death toll touched 655.

The BPF has been in the power of BTC since 2003 but its term ended on April 4. Assam Governor Jagdish Mukhi took over the council's administration as the election had to be postponed due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

State health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday said that the state government wanted to wait for Bihar elections being conducted amid the pandemic and based on the experience there, Assam would decide about BTC polls.

But BPF, despite being a partner of the BJP-led government in the state, is against the proposal and wants the early election to BTC. Interestingly, BPF members were heard shouting slogans against Sarma.

The BPF submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Monday after staging a protest march at several places under BTC.

Mohilary, who headed Bodo Liberation Tigers, a militant group, which was disbanded in 2003 following the signing of the Bodo Accord, formed BPF, won the election, and became its chief. The government, however, signed "a new and comprehensive" Bodo Accord in December last year with all other Bodo groups including four other militant groups. Most of the leaders, who signed the new Bodo Accord joined United People's Party Liberal, another regional party, and are eyeing to unseat Hagrama in the next BTC polls.

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(Published 28 September 2020, 15:04 IST)

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