Hagrama & BPF looted Rs. 2,300 crore during BTC rule: Promod Boro

TAMULPUR: Promod Boro, the current chief of the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), continuing his war of words with former chief Hagrama Mohilary, today claimed that the previous administration "looted" Rs. 2,300 crore during its 17-year tenure.

"In 17 years of rule, they did not provide security to anyone nor did they work for the well-being of the poor and downtrodden. They looted Rs. 2,300 crore from the public and therefore, they have no grounds to speak or to charge", Boro said on the sidelines of a public programme in Baksa district's Tamulpur today.

The new CEM has also claimed that the arms and ammunition that are being recovered in the BTC now belonged to the erstwhile administration. "The previous organization must answer who these illegal firearms belonged to. Can they answer this?", he queried.

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Responding to Hagrama Mohilary's statement that he has no job other than "distributing oranges," Boro said: "At least I am not distributing alcohol. For 17 years, he distributed alcohol to win favours. Unlike him, I did not distrribute bullets, I did not distribute violence. I did not polarize along Bodo and non-Bodo lines. Oranges, however, must be consumed seasonally -- I am glad to distribute them."

Asked about the United People's Party Liberal's (UPPL) forging of alliances ahead of the Assembly elections in Assam, the UPPL supremo said, "Although deputy chief Gobinda Basumatary has said that our party will contest in each of the 12 constituencies, I believe his words were taken out of context. Till now, no seat sharing has been announced. On behalf of the alliance, candidates from any of the allied parties -- the BJP, UPPL, and GSP -- could potentially contest the elections from any of the Constituencies in the BTC."

It needs mention here that the elections to the 126-member Assam Assembly are tentatively scheduled to be held in March-April of this year.