People will vote for change in Bodoland, says TMC’s RS Mooshahary

He served in the southern tip of India as a Kerala cadre Indian Police Service officer for long and also headed the National Security Guards and Border Security Force. Besides he had a stint in the Central Reserve Police Force. He even shouldered gubernatorial responsibilities in Meghalaya. All those away responsibilities do not make Ranjit Shekhar Mooshahary a stranger in the Kokrajhar constituency of Assam. Mooshahary, who is the Trinamool Congress candidate from the constituency, has been criticized for fighting elections despite being a former governor. However, the former IPS officer brushes off the criticism easily and says he is an agent of change and wants to see Bodoland, his place of birth, free of bloodshed. Mooshahary spoke to Firstpost on how he plans his political innings and what the people can expect from him. Edited excerpts:[caption id=“attachment_1447897” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Trinamool Congress candidate from Kokrajhar Ranjit Shekhar Mooshahary. Image courtesy PIB[/caption] Why did you choose to contest an election after serving in a high constitutional post? Some people are unhappy with your decision. I don’t agree with the view that governors cannot fight elections. This is a very wrong perception. Didn’t Kerala governor Nikhil Kumar resign recently to fight the Lok Sabha polls? There are so many instances where former governors have become Union cabinet ministers. Politics is a platform that enables you to work for the people. Why did you choose Trinamool Congress and not Congress or BJP? Are you sure of a victory on a Trinamool ticket? I believe the Trinamool Congress under the leadership of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is practising secularism in the truest form. In Trinamool Congress, things like caste, creed, religion and gender are immaterial. Their mantra is to serve human beings. This is my motto as well. My idea behind fighting the election is to preserve the unity and peace in Bodoland. I want to find a way to build communal harmony which you so badly need in the BTAD (Bodoland Territorial Area Districts). Illegal migrants are allegedly filling up the Bodo areas. This is believed to have resulted in the massive 2012 riots. The situation is snowballing into a huge demographic, political and economic crisis. How do you plan to tackle it? There is no doubt that different vested interests are working in the region. Although it is difficult to pinpoint one particular individual or group, it is for sure that some external forces are involved in vitiating the atmosphere of the region. These interests often result in conflicts in the Bodoland areas. These outside forces have created polarasrisation among the communities. In fact, in the last riots more Bodos were killed than the non-Bodos. I will try to ensure that such ghastly incidents do not recur. Narendra Modi spoke about illegal migrants in Assam. He seemed determined to tackle the issue. Are you convinced? There are no two views about the problem of illegal migrants. However, there is a problem in identifying the migrants. The process is complicated and often leads to harassment of indigenous people. What we need is a cooperation from all stakeholders for identifying the migrants. No one needs migrants. Having said that I also believe that whatever Narendra Modi said is nothing new. He just echoed what is already being said. After the formation of Telangana, do you think a separate Bodoland is due? What difference will a separate state make for the Bodo people? Won’t it alienate the community even more? The demand for Bodoland is quite old. The best way to settle this matter is through intense negotiations among all concerned. It is a reality that you cannot separate the Bodos and non-Bodos who have been living in this region for generations. One fine day you cannot ask the non-Bodos to simply move out. The future lies in involving everyone connected to the issue and accept that Bodoland will be inhabited by both Bodos and non-Bodos. People from both sides must live together for peace and prosperity. Why do you think people should vote for you instead of BPF’s Sansuma Khunggur Bwiswmuthiary or former Rajya Sabha MP UG Brahma who is getting the support from five organisations like ABSU, UDPF etc.? No one fights elections to lose. I am not up against any party or candidate with a political motive. Having said that, my propaganda is very simple. People in this region want change. They have seen enough of violence, extortion, murders and what not. People are well aware that voting for anyone of these candidates will be like voting for any one side of the same coin. They need someone with a vision, capability and understanding. With my long years of experience in different capacities, I am sure I have that.