From Our Correspondent
Guwahati: Even as Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi is pushing the Centre to announce dates for holding dialogue with the ethnic groups that are agitating for separate states out of present geographical boundary in Assam, All Bodo Students’ Union (ABSU) on Thursday started indefinite hunger strike at Kokrajhar, the main town in Bodo heartland in western Assam, to press for their demand for a separate State.
The ABSU president Promod Bodo claimed that about 1500 people including ABSU activists had taken part in the programme. He said the members of the pro-talks faction of the militant National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) or NDFB (Progressive) also joined the indefinite hunger strike launched by ABSU.
The ABSU leader said, “It is the time to experiment how effective our (Indian) democracy is and how much space is there for democratic people? I think fasting is the highest form of non- violent movement and as a citizen of the country of Great Mahatma Gandhi we respect this way of movement. Now we are going to experience the sincerity of the people in the power towards democratic values and non-violent movements. Our life is in their hand, we will accept whatever they wish as they are our guardians.”
“The militant NDFB(P) has been in dialogue with the Government of India for the last seven years after they had decided to shun the path of violence. Till date none of their demands have been accepted by the government and that has created disillusionment in the ranks of the group,” the ABSU leader said.
Meanwhile, Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi has gone to New Delhi to meet Central leaders including the Finance Minister P Chidambaram who also in charge of Home department in absence of indisposed Sushil Kumar Shinde, to convince the latter the necessity of ammouncing dates for dialogue with the agitating groups which are threatening to launch fresh stir.
The agitating groups are now readying themselves for fresh bout of intensive agitation from August 25, if the Centre fails to announce dates for dialogue with them. Apart from the Bodo tribe groups other ethnic groups that are demanding separate States include Koch-Rajbongshis, Karbis and Dimasas. All these groups are planning to launch vigorous moevements like rail blockade, bandhs etc. from next week unless the Centre can convince them about its sincerity to hold dialogue with them in immediate future.