2 years on, Bodo leaders to renew statehood protest

 After a lull of two years, the All Bodo Students Union (ABSU), which had spearheaded the separate state demand movement in the Bodo-dominated areas of Assam, has decided to restart its agitation.

The party felt that the BJP, which in the run-up to the 2014 Lok Sabha elections had allied with the demand, turned a blind eye to the issue after coming to power in the state and Centre.

 While the ABSU will lead the renewed agitations, several other Bodo civil society groups have also voiced support to similar movements next month.

“During the Congress-led UPA government’s tenure, four rounds of talks were held on the issue. However, nothing was done. Before the 2014 elections, the BJP assured us that our demands will be fulfilled. But they have forgotten their promise. This that has left the Bodo organisations with no option but to revive their movement for a separate state,” ABSU president Pramod Boro told DH.

To begin on August 30

The ABSU will revive the three-decade-old movement through a five-hour blockade of the national highways across Assam on August 30.

“Since the BJP took over, we have met Home Minister Rajnath Singh at least seven times and Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju at least 10 times, requesting them to take up the problems of the Bodos.

It seems that the government is only interested in delaying the matter. We have also met Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal several times.

“We fail to understand what the government wants.
We have been raising our demand in a peaceful way, but it seems the government has ears only for violence,” Boro said.

The pro-talk faction of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland, which declared ceasefire since 2004 and is involved in a peace process since 2009, has also decided to support ABSU in the renewed agitations, sources added.