Kokrajhar: Reiterating their demand for an amicable solution to the Bodoland statehood issue, people in large numbers from various organisations took part in a mass gathering programme at Balipara ground in Assam’s Sonitpur district on Monday.
Participating at the mass gathering, hundreds of people from Bodo community shouted slogans holding placards to press for their demands in front of the government for an early solution to the long-pending Bodo political issue through a political dialogue that can pave the way for a healthy administration and peace in the entire region.
The mass gathering that was organised under the aegis of All Bodo Students Union (ABSU), People’s Joint Action Committee for Boroland Movement (PJACBM) and Progressive faction of the National Democratic Front of Boroland(NDFB-P) pressed upon a solution to statehood issue under Article 2 & 3 of the Indian Constitution.
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The community also sought for assurance of the political rights of Bodos living in Assam and outside of proposed Bodoland territory, granting of ST(Hills) status to its people living in Assam’s Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao districts.
They also demanded the implementation of Forest Right & Other Traditional Forest Dwellers Act, 2006 and inclusion of the non- Panchayat villages under Panchayati Raj of the state.
In the gathering, the groups also strongly criticised BJP-led NDA government at the Centre for failing to bring a solution to the Bodoland statehood issue through political dialogue till date.
The Bodo groups further slammed the BJP saying that it had promised to solve the Bodoland issue besides enlisting it in their party’s manifesto in the 2014 Parliamentary elections but so far no initiative has been taken.
The groups threatened that it would carry out a mass democratic movement across the state in coming days if separate Bodoland statehood is not created through political dialogue as soon as possible.
Speaking on sidelines of the mass gathering, ABSU president Pramod Boro said that the mass movement is the only way to pressure the government for an early solution to the Bodoland statehood issue. He also said that mass democratic movement will be continued until and unless separate Bodoland statehood is created.
The protesters also urged the NDA government to take bold initiative through the political dialogue to create Bodoland statehood under Articles 2& 3 of Indian Constitution to pave the way for good governance and integration in the region.
