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Closing ceremony of ABSU golden jubilee celebrations ends

By Shambhu Boro

BATASHIPUR (DHEKIAJULI), Jan 23 - The four-day-long closing ceremony of the year-long ABSU golden jubilee celebration ended on Sunday with the open session at Banasur Fwthar here under the presidentship of the ABSU president, Pramod Boro.

The open session was attended by Dr Sandeep Pandey, founder, Asha for Education, India, Prof Yogendra Yadav, political scientist, Anand Kumar, founder, Super 30, Patna, Prof Nandini Sundar, Professor of Sociology, Delhi School of Economics, Delhi University, Prof Srihari Aney, former Advocate General, Government of Maharashtra and president, NFNS (National Federation For New States), Suhash Chakma, founder of Asian Centre of Human Rights, Delhi, MGVK Bhanu, Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Assam, Urkhaw Gwra Brahma, ex-Parliamentarian, Rajya Sabha along with many leaders of NDFB (P) and (R) and student body leaders.

Addressing the gathering, Anand Kumar, the founder of Super 30 from Patna said that there is still a vast difference between the rich and the poor in India and, accordingly, at a time when the students of rich family avail all sort of facilities, the students from poor families are deprived of their educational rights. Giving reference of his own life as to how he had faced many challenges while getting educated, he said that in India, education was abruptly commercialised, due to which it is yet to reach the common people and throw up real talents. Giving the example of one of the products of his Super 30 Project, Anup Kumar from a poor family who was an IIT (India) topper and now is in Burj Khalifa, Dubai, he assured that he will very shortly open a Super 30 centre in Guwahati and take up to 10 students every year from the Bodo community. Anand Kumar, who is a well-known mathematician, also mentioned in his speech that education is the strongest tool for gaining knowledge and to serve one�s nation. He also mentioned that a biopic titled �Super 30� on his life will soon be released.

Prof Srihari Aney, former Advocate General, Government of Maharashtra and president, NFNS (National Federation for New States), in his speech stressing on a separate State for the Bodos, said that as there is no alternative to Bodoland for the Bodo people. The Government should come forward to settle the Bodoland issue without any more delay for the establishment of peace in the region.

Another speaker, Dr Sandeep Pandey, founder, Asha for Education, India, in his speech, appreciated the ABSU for taking forward its movement for fulfilling the long-cherished dream of Bodoland for the nation. Referring to how the black people gained freedom from the Apartheid policy of the white people in South Africa, he urged the Bodo people to start the ultimate fight for the sake of their rights.

Prior to it, in his inaugural speech, the Bodo Sahitya Sabha president, Toren Boro observed that as the fruition of the 50 years of struggle by the people they have got a small political arrangement called BTAD, which is not being able to fulfil the demand of the Bodos adequately. �Therefore, there is no other option to Bodoland,� he said adding that without unity and integrity, a nation cannot prosper.

Expressing his concern over the Government�s lackadaisical attitude towards addressing the Bodo issue, the noted Boro litterateur also said that the Bodos are struggling for their legitimate rights under the Indian Constitution. �At a time, when other communities are reaching their required development, we are still fighting for our development. It is nothing but a tragedy, we will have to go forward with the ideas of human rights, globalisation and the survival of the fittest,� he reiterated. In the programme, noted journalists Samudra Gupta Kashyap and Adip Phukan and noted social activist, Ranjan Baruah were specially felicitated.

The cultural programmes performed by different ethnic groups mesmerised the gathering. Earlier, on the second day of the mega event, a national conclave was held on the topic, �Tribal/adivasi struggle in India; its past, present and future.�

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