GUWAHATI, March 1: The North East Minority Students Union (NEMSU) has called on the Assam government and the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) administration to uphold the rights and development of minority communities residing in the region.

In a statement issued on Saturday, NEMSU president Badarul Islam urged BTR chief Pramod Bodo to prioritize the welfare of religious minorities, emphasizing that they constitute the second-largest community in the area.

Islam demanded transparency regarding the impact of past conflicts on minority communities. He called for the public disclosure of data on the number of people killed in the 2012 clashes, the number of houses burned, and the count of those still homeless. He also pressed for details on the financial assistance and compensation provided to the families of Muslim victims of the Bodo movement.

Further, Islam demanded that government jobs be allocated to the families of those who lost their lives during the Boroland movement. He stressed the need for the BTR government to address Muslim issues, particularly those mentioned in the Vision Document under the BTR Happiness Mission, which promises inclusive development.

Expressing appreciation for the peace agreement in BTR, Islam thanked the central and state governments, along with all signatories involved in the accord. However, he highlighted the ongoing land issues faced by minorities. He urged the government to take decisive action to settle Muslims who were residing in BTR before the peace agreement was signed.

Islam also called for justice in the assassination of ABMSU president Lafiqul Islam and demanded that the perpetrators be brought to book. Additionally, he proposed the establishment of a BTR Minority Development Board and the formation of new constituencies within BTR to protect the political rights of religious minorities.

Other key demands included ensuring access to clean drinking water, improving agricultural development, providing employment opportunities for minority youths based on merit and population proportion, and offering government contracts to unemployed individuals from minority communities.

NEMSU emphasized the urgency of convening a meeting between BTR authorities and minority representatives to discuss these pressing concerns.

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