Sounding the Battle Cry

THE first call for a separate state of Bodoland in Lower Assam was heard in 1966, from the Plains Tribal Council of Assam. Today, though slo...

THE first call for a separate state of Bodoland in Lower Assam was heard in 1966, from the Plains Tribal Council of Assam. Today, though slogans like 8216;Divide Assam 50-508217;, written 10 years back by the All Bodo Students8217; Union ABSU, are still visible in Kokrajhar, those at the helm of the Bodo movement are willing to settle for a Bodoland Territorial Council. BTC. But even that seems to be out of reach 8212; for now.

On paper, both the Centre and the state have agreed to a BTC as per the amended provisions of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. But in practice, they are unwilling to antagonise the non-Bodo groups, which have started a resistance movement. So the issue is hanging fire.

Predictably, organisations like the Bodoland Liberation Tigers BLT and the ABSU, which seek statehood, have expressed their anger and impatience. 8216;8216;The situation has become complex. We blame both Dispur and Delhi for the delay,8217;8217; said Mainao Daimari, spokesman of the BLT, an armed underground outfit. 8216;8216;We have climbed down from our original statehood demand. It is for the Centre now to take urgent steps,8221; added Rajya Sabha member and former ABSU president Brahma.

Among those opposing the BTC are the Sanmilita Janagosthiya Sangram Sam-iti, an umbrella body of 18 non-Bodo organisations, and the All Assam Adivasi Students8217; Association AAASA, an apex body of Santhal settlers of Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon and adjoining districts. The United Liberation Front of Assam ULFA has also lent its support, saying it is against further division of the state. The All Assam Students8217; Union AASU, on the other hand, supports BTC.

The AAASA has even threatened to take up arms if the government goes ahead with the BTC. 8216;8216;Both Delhi and Dispur have agreed to the BTC because the Bodos have arms. We will also take up arms to resist the council,8217;8217; said Justin Lakra, AAASA president.

So far, the BLT has held 15 rounds of talks with the Centre to resolve the stalemate. Only last month, leaders met Deputy PM L.K. Advani and sought his immediate intervention in the matter. 8216;8216;While the state government laid the foundation for an amicable solutionast year, the Centre has not bothered to find out why a final settlement has not come through,8217;8217; said Daimari.

On September 24, the state submitted its recommendations to the Centre. While it agreed to the inclusion of 3,070 villages in BTC, Dispur sought more time to decide on the BLT8217;s demand for inclusion of 93 more.

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Meanwhile, the ruling Congress, too, has expressed reservations about the BTC, especially since it fears that it would mean reservation of constituencies falling under its jurisdiction for Scheduled Tribes. That is why the state has suggested that Article 332 of the Constitution not be made applicable to the BTC since it would debar non-tribals from contesting polls in the area. 8216;8216;We have discussed the non-tribals8217; apprehensions with Bodo groups, who agree that the former8217;s rights should not be jeopardised,8217;8217; said Health Minister Bhumidhar Barman, also chairman of the Cabinet sub-committee on Bodos.

Complained ABSU chief Rabiram Narzary, 8216;8216;The delay is only encouraging those opposed to the council.8217;8217;