GUWAHATI: Government of India on Monday signed a tri-partite accord with several factions of the banned National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB). It happens to be the third Bodo Accord, the earlier accords were signed in 1993 and 2003.
The NDFB factions are be led by Ranjan Daimari, Govinda Basumatary, Dhiren Boro and B Saoraigra signed the agreement.
ABSU president Pramod Boro and Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) chief Hagrama Mohilary also signed the accord.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal were present as the Centre signed the tripartite agreement with the representatives of factions of banned organisations.
“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.
A special package of Rs 900 crore has been granted by the Centre for overall development of the Bodoland areas.
Besides, the government will assure the Bodo groups to safeguard the Bodo language and culture.
Bodo language will now be an associate official language with Devanagari script in Assam.
As many as 1,550 NDFB militants along with 130 weapons will surrender on January 30 following signing of the accord.
This is the third Bodo accord to be signed in last 27 years even as the unrelenting violent movement for a separate Bodoland state have hundreds of lives, caused 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 (BAC) with limited political powers.
In 2003, the second Bodo accord was signed with the militant group Bodo Liberation Tigers (BLT), leading to formation of the present Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) comprising four districts of Assam — Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baska and Udalguri — called the Bodoland Territorial Area District Council (BTADC).
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.
Even after signing of the BTC Accord in 2003 and the formation of the BTADC, the movement for a separate state for the Bodos has been going on in Assam.
As per the tripartite accord signed on Monday afternoon in New Delhi, Bodoland will now be named as Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), and will have more administrative power.
Accord at a glance
- The number of seats in the present BTAD will be increased from 40 to 60
- A central university will be set up at Barama after Late Upendra Nath Brahma
- Special industrial policy on card for BTAD
- A Railway coach factory to be set up in BTAD area
- Sports Authority of India (SAI) centre to be set up at Udalguri, Baksa and Chirang
- DC, SP will be appointed in consultation with BTC authority
- A National Sports University will be set up
- Autonomous Welfare Council for the Bodo people living outside BTAD areas
- A Cancer Hospital and Medical College will be set up in Tamulpur in BTAD
- Central government to expedite the process of granting Hills tribe status to Bodos living in Hills areas