ABSU Organises Cycle and Torch Rallies for Bodoland
Kokrajhar
ABSU and PJACBM have jointly organised the Cycle and Torch Rallies in every District, Anchalik and village level in support of their demands for creation of Bodo land state, ensure political right to the Bodos living outside the proposed Bodoland Area, Protect, Preserve and safeguard the identity of the Bodo and other tribal people with language, culture and tradition by creating Bodoland state and justice to live with dignity and honour.
ABSU alleged in a press release that the Bodo people, an indigenous people of Assam for being victimised to socio-economic exploitation, suppression, oppression and political domination are at threat of total extinction. Even after 70 years of India’s independence the state has failed to protect, Preserve and safeguard the land, identity, language and culture of the Bodo people. Bodo people are very much part of the great Indian community and are loyal to the Constitution of India. The Bodo people want to live with dignity and honour under the provision of the Constitution of India. For that purpose the Bodo people launched their movement for Socio-Political right in 1967.
It must be noted that the All Bodo Students Union, the vibrant young force of the Bodo people launched its first phase of movement for Bodoland state in 1987. The Government of India signed two Bodo accords in the name of resolving to the Bodo people’s demand. But both of the Bodo Accords could not fulfill the political aspiration and also could not address the fundamental questions of the Bodo people. So the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (Progressive), an armed militant organisation which signed a truce has been negotiating with the Government on the issue of creating Boroland state under the provision of Article 2 & 3 of the Constitution of India since 2005. They had 14 rounds of tripartite talks but there was no progress. The ABSU and other allied groups which launched their third phase of movement demanding to create Bodoland state has had fifth rounds of formal talk so far with the Government of India. But talk has no progress at all.
Further ABSU alleged in the press statement that the BJP promised both written (manifesto) and verbal that they would resolve the Bodo problem immediately if they could come to power in New Delhi. They were voted to power and their regime in Delhi is more than two years now. However, the fact is that there is no initiative to materialise their promise. They have stopped the very continuity of dialogue, which apparently means the regime is not willing to resolve the problem.
In the last event of Torch Rally and through the Cycle Rally Programme of 2nd December the joint movement group announces series of agitation programmes like Maha Rally, Dharna and Hunger strike in Delhi ongoing winter session of parliament in December 2016 and 24 hrs National highway and Railway Blockade in January 2017 and Indefinite Mass Hunger Strike in March 2017.
We appeal the Government of India to come forward with a pragmatic policy decision on the Bodoland Issue as it has already elapsed almost half century through agitation of different nature, which has taken a toll of more than five thousand lives. The movement groups are determined to continue the Democratic Mass Movement until and unless the Government of India concedes the demand.
