ABSU to renew its movement for a separate Bodoland, indefinite mass hunger strike from March 10

A CORRESPONDENT

KOKRAJHAR, Mar 3: The All Bodo Students' Union (ABSU) has decided to renew its movement to pressure the governments both in Delhi and Dispur to solve the long pending separate Bodoland issue within a stipulated deadline.

The series of agitation includes indefinite mass hunger strike from March 10, followed by 24-hours tiol Highway and Railway blockade in last week of March, jail bharo in April, non cooperation with the state government in May.

ABSU president Pramod Boro said the movement group decided to take part in the general election of 2014 for the interest of permanent solution of the Bodoland issue and had discussed with BJP leaderships. "The BJP under the leadership of the then president Rajth Singh had assured both verbally and in written to bring about a solution of the issue if the BJP was voted to power at the Centre. In fact, the Prime Minister rendra Modi had also made announcement at Mangaldoi and Bongaigaon election meetings to resolve the Bodo issue during election campaigns in 2014", he said. The ABSU leader said the union  and other movement groups of the Bodo community directly supported BJP in Assam and they won in four seats out of seven with our support in the general election of 2014. However, it is very unfortute to mention that after coming to power the government led by BJP in center has completely ignored the movement as well as the demand for solution of long pending Bodo issue.

Boro said the Boro people, an indigenous people of India living in Assam for being victimized to socio-economic exploitation, suppression, oppression and political domition are at threat of total extinction. He said 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 Boro people. He also said the Boro people were very much part of the great Indian community and are loyal to the constitution of India.

The ABSU leaders said the Boro people want to live with dignity and honour under the provision of the constitution of India. For that purpose, the Boro people launched their movement for socio-political rights in 1967. The All Bodo Students Union, the vibrant young force of the Boro people launched its first phase of movement for Bodoland state in 1987. The government of India signed two Bodo accords in the me of resolving to the Bodo people's demand but nevertheless, both of the Bodo accords could not fulfill the political aspiration and could not address the fundamental questions of the Boro people.

The ABSU leaders said the Centre must come forward with a pragmatic policy decision on the Bodoland issue as it has already elapsed almost half century through agitation of different ture, 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 demands and it is to be mention here that the future course of movement will depend on the attitude, sincerity and policy decision of the government of India on the issue.