Begin typing your search above and press return to search.

ABSU to intensify Bodoland movement

By R Dutta Choudhury

GUWAHATI, Nov 22 � The separate state movement by the All Bodo Students� Union (ABSU) is likely to gather momentum after the winter session of the Parliament as the students� body has threatened to intensify the movement if the Government fails to raise the issue of creation of a separate state during the session. The students� body has even threatened to go for National Highway and Railway line blockade, which will cut off the North East from the rest of the country if the Centre fails to pay heed to its demand.

Talking to The Assam Tribune, the president of the ABSU, Promod Boro said that the creation of the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) failed to fulfill the hopes and aspirations of the people and on its part, the Assam Government failed to take effective steps for the improvement of the law and order situation in the BTC area. He pointed out that even the BTC passed a resolution last year calling for the creation of a separate state.

Giving an account of the history of the movement for a separate state, Boro said that the ABSU first launched the movement for a separate state on March 2, 1987. The movement was suspended in February, 2003 after the signing of an accord between the Government and BLT for the creation of the BTC under the provisions of the amended Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India. The ABSU was not a signatory of the Accord but supported it.

The ABSU president said that as the BTC failed to fulfill the hopes and aspirations of the people, the ABSU revived the movement for separate state again last year and so far, apart from sending memorandum to the Prime Minister, the students� body also brought cycle rallies and held public meetings in different parts of the state.

Justifying the need for creation of a separate state, the ABSU president said that the creation of a council was not enough to protect the identity of the Bodo people. He said that though Bodo language has been included in the 8th schedule of the Constitution of India, the Government of Assam is yet to implement it. He said that maintaining law and order in BTC is the responsibility of the State Government but more than 150 innocents were killed in BTC area during 2008-09 because of the failure of the Government to maintain law and order.

Boro said that the Assam Government is yet to take effective steps for the protection of the tribal belts and blocks, while, no step has been initiated for the improvement of the condition of the Bodo medium schools.

On the development front, the ABSU alleged that adequate funds have not been provided to the BTC. He said that the BTC has 12 per cent of the total population of Assam, but plan funds are not provided to the Council on the basis of population pattern. Most of the smaller states of the country having less population than the BTC have been getting much more funds from the Centre, he added.

Meanwhile, the ABSU is also holding a seminar in New Delhi in December on the issue of creation of smaller states.

Next Story