GUWAHATI, Feb 16 - The All Bodo Students� Union (ABSU) today demanded that all the stakeholders should be involved in the process of talks to bring a permanent solution to the �Bodoland� issue and threatened to intensify movement for creation of a separate state.
Talking to The Assam Tribune, Promode Boro, who was re-elected as the president of the ABSU for the fifth consecutive term in the biennial conference of the student body, which concluded yesterday, said that the Central Government lacks sincerity at the political level to find a permanent solution to the problems. He said that the main goal of the ABSU would be to find a permanent solution to the �Bodoland� issue. He said that it is up to the Central Government to decide whether it would face a movement or wants to solve the problems through talks.
Boro revealed that in the last round of tripartite talks involving the ABSU , Central and State Governments, which was chaired by the Joint Secretary (North East) of the Ministry on January 9, the students� body had demanded that political level talks on the issue should be held before the Budget Session of the Parliament. He said that the Central Government officer had assured to take up the matter. But unfortunately, no such talk was held, he said.
The ABSU president said that the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) failed to fulfil the political aspirations of the Bodo people. The role of the BTC is limited only to infrastructure development in a few areas, which failed to address the social and community aspirations of the people. He also expressed the view that the Central Government should not consider the demand for creation of a separate state only as an emotional issue.
Boro pointed out that as the Government has not been able to address its responsibilities since Independence, the people have to agitate for roads, hospitals etc, which is very unfortunate as these are the primary responsibilities of any Government. He further said that till date, 70 per cent students studying in Bodo medium schools have not received textbooks and � now we have to launch agitation for textbooks. Providing textbooks is a primary responsibility of the government but the students� bodies are forced to launch agitations for it.� He further said that despite repeated assurances, the State Government has not been able to create a separate directorate for Bodo medium schools, which proved that the Government is not sincere in dealing with the problems faced by students.
