PRAGOTI

General Secretary of the CPI(M), Prakash Karat answers a wide range of questions related to the ongoing assembly elections in various states in the country. Excerpts and link to original piece.

The Assam government's notification on the formation of the Bodoland Territorial Council has given fillip to fears among the non-Bodo communities, portending a resumption of sectarian violence.

Article by M S Prabhakara, written in November 2003 (Courtesy: Frontline)

The violence and mayhem in Udalguri and Darrang have to be seen in the background of the present phase of communal mobilisation in the 'anti-foreigner' agitations rocking the entire state. Added to this are unresolved tensions emanating from the creation of an "exclusive Bodo district" in an area where the Bodo tribals form only a small majority, with other identities substantially represented".

Uddhab Barman, CPI(M) Assam State Secretary, writes on the multiple factors that contributed to the communal flare up and violence. An EPW editorial highlights the ethnic divisions that remained unresolved when the the Bodoland Territorial Areas District was created and got exacerbated subsequently. Also, an article by MS Prabhakara written in 2003 from Frontline on the issues around Bodoland.