Guwahati, March 13: The Karbi Students’ and Youths’ Forum (KSYF) has opposed the granting of Scheduled Tribe (Hills) status for Bodos living in Karbi Anglong and North Cachar Hills.

Addressing a news conference here today, members of the KSYF said the granting of Scheduled Tribe (Hills) status to the Bodos living in Karbi Anglong NC Hills will lead to tampering of the demographic ratio of the districts as there is an increasing trend of Bodos migrating from plain districts to hill districts.

KSYF secretary Katharson Engti said the increasing flow of Bodos to the hill districts had affected the demographic pattern since 1971.

The KSYF is a conglomeration of Karbi students and youth organisations. It comprises two factions of the Karbi Students’ Association, the Karbi Youth Organisation and the Karbi Technical Unemployed Youths Association.

President of Karbi Youth Organisation Mrinoy Teron said the decision of the government to grant ST (Hills) status to the Bodos in Karbi Anglong will not only divide the tribals in the state but also affect the already volatile situation in the Hill districts.

The forum, while welcoming the signing of memorandum of settlement on Bodo Territorial Council between the Centre, state government and the BLT last month, said the inclusion of Clause 8 granting ST (Hills) status to the Bodos living in Karbi Anglong and NC Hills was unjustified and devoid of practical logic.

“It is a double standard approach of the government to sabotage the real aspirations of the people of Karbi Anglong and NC Hills” the forum said.

President of Karbi Students’ Association Hanuram Engti said they would lodge a strong protest against the decision.

They would hold a mass rally in the area and hand over a memorandum to the Prime Minister, the deputy Prime Minister and the minister for Scheduled Castes and Tribes in New Delhi, he added.

The forum has called upon the people and all political parties to protest in unison to put pressure on the government to revoke Clause 8 from the memorandum of settlement on BTC.