NEW DELHI, Feb 28 � A day after Centre announced constitution of a one-man panel to look into the viability of Bodoland, the rival Bodo groups rejected the move, threatening to revive the agitation for a separate State.
Cracks have appeared in the Bodo movement, with rival factions rejecting each other�s proposal, landing the Centre in a tight spot. Yesterday, BPF leaders welcomed the constitution of the GK Pillai Committee and pledged to cooperate fully.
Warning the Centre to brace for long agitations, the Bodo leaders threatened 100 to 1000 hours railway and highway blockades. Four organisations are meeting on March 2 to decide on the future course of action.
Addressing a press conference at the Press Club of India here, All Bodo Students� Union (ABSU) president Promod Boro said that they would chalk out the future course of action that day. However, he indicated that they may not start their agitation immediately and wait for the Lok Sabha elections to be over.
A joint delegation of four organisations called on Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde on Friday and conveyed that they are totally against the idea of setting up of a commission because not a single State has been created on the basis of recommendation of any expert committee.
The delegation, which included Promod Boro, Govinda Basumatary of NDFB(P), UG Brahma of BPPF, Rabiram Narzary, Brahman Baglary (PJACBM) and UDPF president Pradip Kumar Daimary, among others, opposed the suggestion of the ruling BPF and the setting up of the GK Pillai Committee.
�Only Parliament can create a new State and we are talking directly to the Home Minister, so what is the point in making submission before an expert panel,� argued Promod Boro.
