By Abdul Bari Masoud
New Delhi: Knocking the doors of the national capital, the Bodo National Students Union (BONSU), a powerful group of Bodo tribes, once again raised the demand of separate Bodoland state carving out of Assam. The Bodo union leaders also slammed the Peace Agreement signed by various Bodo organizations NDFB , ABSU, UBPO and Govt of India in February 2020.
Banjit Manjil Basumatary, President BONSU and Sansuma khungur Bwiswmuthiary,President of All India Bodo Peoples National League for Boodoland Statehood (AIBPNLBS) elaborated the points on the demand of creation of Bodoland Statehood at a press conference held at the Press Club of India on Tuesday.
They said the concerned Bodo allied organizations condemned in strongest term, the discriminatory action taken by the Union Govt. by way of disrupting their scheduled program of Mega demonstration at Jantar Mantar to press the demand.
Bodo organizations held Mega demonstration at Jantar Mantar on Monday.
While criticising the Modi government, they said the e whole Bodo people sincerely and honestly extent respectful thanks and tribute to both then Prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and then Deputy Prime Minister L.K Advani for their political blessings to Bodos in the form of BTAD and BTC given by amending the provision of 6th schedule to the constitution of India, 2003.
However, they said “the Peace Agreement signed on 27/02/20 by various Bodo organizations NDFB , ABSU, UBPO and Govt of India has threatened the existence and survival as well as the sustainability of BTC by way of issuing different detrimental Govt. notification and order since the 28th September 2020 onwards as a result of the detrimental political moves of the Govt. against the concept of BTAD and BTC the amount of autonomy, powers and functions and all the transfer subjects have been threatened to be diluted and taken away back through back door”.
They underlined that:
- So why under the overall critical circumstances heard above, the Bodos have not left any other option than asking for the creation of Bodoland Statehood without a compromise.
- The so calledPeace Agreement has diluted the degree of autonomy, quantum of powers and functions and taking back all the transferred subjects have let the Bodos asking for separate State of Bodoland without a compromise.
- The Govt. and its policy to destroy the spirit of the land rights given to the Indigenous Tribal people under Chapter X Land and Revenue regulation Act of Assam 1886.
- So we would like to appeal to the entire Bodo Community to participate wholeheartedly for the Demand of separate State of Bodoland.
- Demand:
(a) Creation of Bodoland Statehood.
(b) The existing Bodo Kacharis welfare Autonomous council created under the State Act should be upgraded to constitutional Autonomous council under the provision of 6th schedule to the constitution of India outside the Geo-political boundary of proposed State of Bodoland to the Northern bank of Brahmaputra.
(c) Implementation of the clause no. 8 of the second Bodo Accord signed on the 10th Feb 2003 in order to provide ST (H) status to Bodo kacharis of North Karbi Anglong and Dima-Hasao .
(d) And raising Bodo Regiments in the Indian Army with special Reservation provisions for the Bodo youths.