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Bodo groups step up separate state movement

By R Dutta Choudhury

GUWAHATI, Aug 8 - The Central Government�s move to bifurcate Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories has given teeth to the movements for separate states. Three Bodo organizations today resumed their movement for creation of separate state of Bodoland, while, the National Federation for New States, an umbrella body of organizations demanding new states, is meeting in Delhi in September to chalk out its strategies to intensify movement.

Talking to The Assam Tribune, All Bodo Students� Union president Promod Boro said that members of the ABSU, National Democratic Front of Boroland (Progressive) and the People�s Joint Action Committee for Bodoland Movement today staged a three hour demonstration in the district headquarters of the state demanding creation of a separate state of Bodoland.

He said that if the Government of India can bifurcate Jammu and Kashmir to create two Union Territories, there is no reason why similar kind of steps cannot be taken elsewhere in the country to fulfill the aspirations of the people.

Giving a brief account of the movements for creation of separate state of Bodoland, the ABSU president said that the first demand for creation of autonomous region of Udayachal was raised in 1967 by the Plains Tribals Council of Assam and the ABSU launched the movement for a separate state on March 2, 1987. After a series of talks with the Government, the Bodoland Autonomous Council (BAC) was formed in February, 1993 but the Government failed to fulfill its promises and the movement was resumed in 1996 and at the same time, the Bodo Liberation Tiger (BLT) also launched an armed movement. The ABSU suspended its movement in 2004 after signing of a peace pact between the Government and BLT in 2003, which led to the formation of the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) under the provisions of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India.

Boro revealed that the BTC failed to fulfill the aspirations of the people and on its part, the Government also failed to implement all the clauses of the accord signed with the BLT. Adequate powers were not given to the BTC and around 25 Bills passed by the BTC legislative council were not cleared by the Governor. After the declaration of Telengana as a State, the ABSU resumed its movement for a separate state and the organization was joined by the NDFB (P). The ABSU has also joined the National Federation for New States, an umbrella body of the organizations agitating for separate states.

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