Historic Bodo peace pact signed providing a political and economic bonanza

* Golden future awaits Assam: Shah

* Political & economic bonanza announced

NEW DELHI: The Government on Monday signed an accord with the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) — providing political and economic bonanza. The move is expected to boost peace in the Northeast.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, State Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and BTC (Bodoland Territorial Council) Chief Hagrama Mohillary were present as the tripartite agreement (Memorandum of Settlement) was signed by Joint Secretary (NE), MHA, Satyendra Garg, and Kumar Sanjay Krishna, Chief Secretary, Government of Assam, with the representatives of NDFB factions. The All Bodo Students’ Union (ABSU), which has been spearheading a movement for a Bodoland State, was also present during the accord-signing meet.

“Today Centre, Assam government and Bodo representatives have signed an important agreement. This agreement will ensure a golden future for Assam and for the Bodo people,” Amit Shah said and added that the agreement will fulfill political and economic demands besides safeguarding the Bodo language and culture.

The pact provides political and economic bonanza to the tribals, sans the outfit’s key demand of a separate Bodoland state or union territory.

Following this, Assam Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said all stakeholders of the Bodo society signed this agreement, reaffirming the territorial integrity of Assam. He also announced that a massive public meeting will be held to welcome the peace pact in Kokrajhar on February 7. On the occasion, the State government has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said, “1,550 cadres along with 130 weapons will surrender on January 30. As the Home Minister, I want to assure all representatives that all promises will be fulfilled in a time-bound manner.”

The Home minister was keen to conclude the accord as early as possible to end the protracted Bodo insurgency in Assam so that a lasting peace is returned to the Bodo-dominated areas in the State, an official had said.

THIRD BODO ACCORD

This is the third Bodo accord to be signed in last 27 years when the violent movement for a separate Bodoland State claimed hundreds of lives, destruction of public and private properties.

The first Bodo accord was signed with the All Bodo Students Union (ABSU) in 1993, leading to creation of a Bodoland Autonomous Council with limited political powers.

In 2003, the second Bodo accord was signed with the militant group Bodo Liberation Tigers (BLT), leading to formation of a Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) with four districts of Assam — Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baska and Udalguri — called the Bodoland Territorial Area District (BTAD).

The BTC has control over 30 subjects like education, forests, horticulture but no jurisdiction on the police, revenue and general administration departments, which are controlled by the Assam government. The BTC was formed under the 6th Schedule of the Constitution.

The demand for a separate State for the Bodos has been going on in Assam for about five decades and several Bodo overground and militant groups raising it leading to agitations, protests, violence and many deaths. (Agencies)

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