Guwahati: Bodo women on Friday staged dharna in district headquarters of Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) areas demanding immediate steps on part of the Government of India for creation of a Bodoland state as well as facilitating political rights of Bodos living outside the proposed Bodoland.
“This is the voice from the women of Bodoland crying for creation of a separate state for Bodos by the government of India. The three hours dharna organised as the women’s cry for Bodoland and the memorandum is being sent to the Prime Minister of India through the deputy commissioner of the respective district headquarters,” ABSU president Promode Bodo said.
The women activists of All Bodo Students’ Union (ABSU), National Democratic Front of Boroland (P) and People’s Joint Action Committee for Boroland Movement (PJACBM)) jointly organised the sit-in demonstration in the BTC area.
Women have always been participating in Bodoland movement with an aspiration for statehood to safeguard ethnic identity, land rights, culture & languages of indigenous people living in northern bank of Brahmaputra.
In this movement, Bodo women have had to face immense sufferings in diverse forms and situations. Still they have once again come out of the four walls of their homes to press for Bodos’ demand for socio-economic justice, peace and all round development through emancipation of the marginalized indigenous population as provided in article 2 and 3 of Indian Constitution,” the ABSU leader said.
“The BJP had promised both in black and while (manifesto) and verbally that they would resolve the Boro problem immediately, if they could come to power in New Delhi. They were voted to power and their regime in Delhi is now more than three years old. However, there is no initiative to implement what they had promised to Bodo people .They have even stopped the continuity of dialogue on the issue which apparently means the regime is not willing to resolve the problem,” he said.
The agitating Bodo organisations have stated that they will launch an intensive phase of movement from April next unless the political level talks are not initiated by the Government of India immediately to resolve the vexed Bodoland issues.
They are planning for 24 hours National Highways and Railway Blockade by the first week of April, Jail Bharo by end of April, non-Cooperation with the State and Central government offices and followed by 100 to 1000 hours economic blockade and Assam bandh calls.
