KOKRAJHAR, March 24 - Women activists of the All Bodo Students� Union (ABSU) and its allied groups today staged a four-hour sit-in demonstration at the Children�s Park near Kokrajhar Deputy Commissioner�s Office demanding a separate state for the community and to ensure the political rights for the Bodos living outside the proposed Bodoland State.
Hundreds of women activists of ABSU, National Democratic Front of Boroland (P) and People�s Joint Action Committee for Bodoland Movement from different corners of Kokrajhar district joined the programme with posters and banners and also shouting slogans on their demands which started at 11 am.
They, later, submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister through the Deputy Commissioner of Kokrajhar.
They also appealed the Government of India to immediately come forward with a pragmatic policy decision on the Bodoland issue and political rights of Bodos in Assam, through the appropriate political-level talk in the presence of the Union Home Minister.
The movement groups are determined to continue the democratic mass movement until the Centre concedes the demands, they said and alleged that both the BJP-led State and Central governments have failed to fulfil their poll promises for a solution to the long pending Bodoland issue.
Our Tezpur Correspondent adds: As part of the continued movement by the ABSU, supported by various organisations, its woman wing today staged a three-hour dharna at the Church Field here demanding immediate creation of Bodoland state and ensuring political rights for the Bodos living outside the proposed Bodoland.
The dharna, held from 10.30 am and addressed by ABSU vice president Dipen Boro, among others, was participated by over a thousand women and men from various parts of the district.
Addressing the participants, Dipen Boro came down heavily on the State and Central governments for their failure to meet their pre-poll commitment of creating a separate state for the aboriginal Bodos. He added that there must be Bodoland state under the provision of Article 2 & 3 of the Constitution of India to protect, preserve and safeguard the identity of its people.
He added that the BJP had promised to resolve the Bodoland problem if they came to power at the Centre. Accordingly, they were voted to power. However, three years have passed but there is no initiative to address the issue.
Urging the government to show sincerity towards dealing with the Bodoland issue as soon as possible, he also said that the Bodo people will never be restive with the historical injustice meted out to them by the ruling cliques of Assam since Independence.
