Guwahati: In a sharp rebuke to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, BTR Peace Accord signatory and MLA Lawrence Islary has hit back at the Chief Minister’s recent remarks during a Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) election campaign, asserting that the Indian Constitution does not recognise a distinction between first and second-class citizens. Islary cautioned against the use of divisive language, urging political parties to refrain from making provocative statements that could disrupt the fragile peace in the region.
The Chief Minister, while addressing a series of election rallies in the BTC constituencies, had reportedly stated that there should not be “first and second-class citizens” in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR). The comment has been met with significant criticism from several local leaders.
Islary, a prominent figure in the 2020 Bodo Peace Accord negotiations, emphasised that the region’s 26 ethnic communities are painstakingly working towards fostering unity and stability after decades of unrest. “We have tirelessly worked to build a foundation of mutual trust among all indigenous communities. This is not the time to sow seeds of division. Political parties must ensure they do not use provocative or misleading statements during their campaigns,” he stated.
He further appealed to all political leaders to uphold the true spirit of the peace accord and support the ongoing efforts to create an inclusive Bodoland. The BTR, a region previously grappling with insurgency and ethnic strife, has witnessed a period of relative peace since the signing of the accord, which brought various Bodo factions into the political mainstream and granted the region greater autonomy and development opportunities. As the BTC polls draw closer, political rhetoric has intensified, but leaders like Islary are urging for restraint to protect social harmony and the constitutional values that bind the nation.
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