Raise your Voice

The move of New Delhi on Telengana issue has stirred up the Bodo statehood demand issue today. The All Bodo Students Union (ABSU) is all set to re-launched its statehood demand movement from January 1, 2013.ABSU chief Pramod Boro claimed that the demand for creation of separate Bodoland state is 25 years old. He said New Delhi should not ignore the aspiration of different communities on the issue of creation of new states. “If the governmenmt of India can convene an all party meet on Telengana issue, why can’t it hold the same on Bodoland state issue?,” Pramod Bodo asked. Few days ago, Union Home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde had stated that he would formally invite all parties for the meet on Telengana issue. Following this development, ABSU organized a mammoth public rally at Rawta, 150 km from state capital in Udalguri district under BTC (Bodoland Territorial Council) in the state. In the rally, ABSU announced that it would start new Bodoland movement from January 1 next. The ABSU president said that it was nothing wrong for any community to live with dignity, to raise voice for political rights and to protect their own language and culture. “We have to get our political rights. We are ready to sacrifice our blood for the cause of Bodoland state again”, said Boro. The ABSU chief alleged that for political benefit, the government of India pays more attention to Telengana state demand and ignore demands of creation of a separate state in other parts of India. Pramod Boro said New Delhi should institute State Reorganisation Commission to look into the matter of demands for creation of new states across the country. Apart from ABSU, Joint Action Committee for Bodoland movement, a conglomerate of 52 organizations have already announced economic blockade on NH 37 from January 1 next. The entry point to Assam from mainland Indian states is at Sri-rampur in Kokrajhar district under BTC. From Rowta, ABSU started Bodoland statehood movement in 1987. The Bodo statehood movement in Assam claimed lives of 1135 Bodos. During the Bodo movement in Assam, thousand were homeless, three major clashes between Bodos and non Bodos (with Adivasis, immigrant Muslim and Assamese speaking communities). Mention may be made here that the government of India had inked two accords with Bodo separate statehood movement leaders for solution of the Bodo movement. The first accord was signed in the year 1993 with creation of Bodoland Autonomous Council and second in 2003 with creation of BTC ( Bodoland Territorial Council). The Assam districts of Kokrajhar , Chirang , Baska and Udalguri comprised the BTC.