Ranjan Daimary out on bail, rushed to Delhi to sign Bodo accord

Guwahati: In a significant development, National Democratic Front of Bodoland (R) chairman Ranjan Daimary, who was serving life imprisonment in the 2008 serial bomb blasts case, has got a four-week interim bail and was released from the Central Jail in Guwahati on Saturday afternoon after depositing personal bond of Rs 50,000.

Soon after his release amid traditional welcome, Daimary and some of his admirers rushed to Lokapriya Gipinath Bordoloi International Airport to catch a New Delhi-bound evening flight so that he can take part in the ongoing peace process to sign a new Bodo accord.

Speaking with EastMojo after Daimary’s release, his lawyer, Manas Sarania, said that there is discussion going on at the highest level to sign a new Bodo accord in New Delhi.

“I have heard that some discussions will be held at the national capital with the rebel leaders this evening. Possibly by Sunday or Monday, Prime Minister or the Union home minister Amit Shah may announce something which will carry good news for the people of Assam, especially those are in Bodoland areas,” Sarania said.

Daimary got an interim bail for four weeks as his lawyer moved a petition seeking his release, which was not opposed by legal representatives of both the Centre and the state government in the interest of the peace process.

Sources in the home ministry informed EastMojo that the Centre wants to sign a new Bodo accord with the support from all stakeholders, including all factions of the insurgent groups, especially NDFB, civil society members, student bodies, literary organisations, etc.

Representatives from NDFB (R), NDFB (S), Bodo Sahitya Sabha and All Bodo Students’ Union (ABSU) have been meeting Centre-approved interlocutor AB Mathur separately during the last couple of days.

Also Read: Ranjan Daimary all set to join peace process, new Bodo accord soon

Within a week of signing a suspension of operations (SoO) agreement by the Saoraigwra faction of the NDFB with the Centre, over 600 rebels of the insurgent group, including leaders like B Saoraigwra, G Bidai and K Batha came out from undisclosed camps along India-Bhutan border in Assam’s Kokrajhar district recently. NDFB-S is one of the few major insurgent groups active in Assam.

The development assumes significance as the Assam government organised an arms-laying down ceremony by members of militant outfits at the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) Auditorium in Guwahati.

Meanwhile, the NDFB-S has reshuffled its “national council” members unanimously in the general meeting held on January 20, 2020, in the designated camp, Diglipara, Kokrajhar, BTC (Assam).

B Saoraigwra has been appointed as president while G Bidai and BR Ferengga have also been appointed as vice president and general secretary respectively. Altogether 21 members have been appointed as the national council members of the outfit.