Explained: Why Assam govt's decision to hold inaugural sitting of Assembly in Kokrajhar is significant

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma during the inauguration of EM and MCLA’s quarters of Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), in Kokrajhar. Photo Credit: ANI

For the first time in Assam, a session of the legislative assembly is being held outside Guwahati, with Kokrajhar hosting the inaugural sitting of the Budget session, beginning today.

The sitting, which started at noon, commenced with the Governor's speech, delivered traditionally on the first day of the Budget session.

The special sitting is being held at the Bodoland Territorial Council Legislative Assembly building, while the rest of the seesion schedule will be held at the permanent assembly building in Guwahati. The session will continue till March 25, with Assam Finance minister Ajanta Neog to present the annual budget on March 10.

The Assam chief minister terming it a historic moment, said holding of the sitting here symbolises the return of peace in the state and integration of all people.

The move to hold the inaugural session of the Budget session of the Assam Assembly in Kokrajhar is also seen as an attempt to strengthen the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC).

Meanwhile, the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) in Assam is all set to leverage the tourism potential of the region by setting up a cross-border tourism circuit that will bring neighbouring Bhutan along with Sikkim and other Northeastern States together. For this purpose, the BTC administration has also allocated Rs 28 crore to set up the circuit at Srirampur along the Assam-West Bengal Border.

The Bodo accord was signed after a decade-long negotiation for a comprehensive and full-fledged solution to the demands of the Bodo community in Assam while keeping intact the territorial integrity of the State.

The accord aimed to augment BTC's area and powers and streamline its functioning; address issues relating to Bodos residing outside BTAD; promote and protect social, cultural, linguistic and ethnic identities of Bodos; provide legislative safeguards for land rights of tribals; ensure accelerated development of tribal areas; and rehabilitate members of NDFB factions.

Explaining the rationale behind the move, Assam Assembly Speaker Biswajit Daimary said holding the first-ever sitting of the House outside the state capital is an effort to bring parliamentary democracy closer to the people. He emphasised that selecting Kokrajhar for the session holds special significance, as it reflects the government’s commitment to the development in all parts of the state, including tribal-dominated and Sixth Schedule areas.

He maintained that the objective behind holding the sitting here is to make people aware of the legislative procedures, as it is important in parliamentary democracy for the public to understand how Parliament and Assembly function.

The Assam BJP on Monday tweeted that Kokrajhar, once marred by conflict and violence, has now emerged as a symbol of peace and progress. In a first, the Assam Assembly is holding a special session outside Guwahati, with all MLAs traveling to Kokrajhar for the event. This marks a new chapter in Assam’s history, showcasing Bodoland’s remarkable transformation over the past decade.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a post on X regarding the special sitting, had affirmed efforts of the NDA governments, both in the Centre and state, to empower the Bodo community and fulfil Bodo aspirations. Union Home Amit Shah, also in a post on the micro-blogging site, had said that this sitting is a significant step towards fulfilling the vision to accelerate the development of Bodo community while nourishing their culture.