By Pramod Boro
The formation of the United Peoples’ Party Liberal (UPPL) as a political party to realize the goals and aspirations of the people of Bodoland occurred during a crucial period in the region’s socio-political history. The BTC Accord of 2003, which granted Bodoland autonomy under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution, elevated the Bodo people’s hopes for a socio-economic change that would bring normalcy, communal unity, and all-around growth. Nonetheless, just a few years later, between 2008 and 2010, the region suffered violence, deaths, and instability resulting in a massive loss to the sociocultural fabric of Bodoland.
The lawlessness and chaos left the people feeling unsafe, casting doubts on the assumption that the Constitution of India and the laws of the land were sufficient to safeguard each and every citizen. The period was marked by a developing gun culture aggravated by the political leadership and bureaucracy’s blatant disregard for the sensibilities of the people. The ruling regime under the Bodoland Peoples’ Front (BPF) reneged on promises of development and community ambitions, with development becoming a mere buzzword. The BPF leadership’s authoritarianism resulted in the estrangement of the populace from all aspects of governance. This led to a decade and a half of misgovernance and rampant corruption, which demoralised the democratic spirit of the people and disrupted the peaceful coexistence among the many communities, resulting in a period of severe communal conflict. The protracted period of was fuelled by a section of the intelligentsia with vested interests attempting to draw a fictitious Lakshman Rekha between the Bodos and Non-Bodos.
In this difficult and complicated scenario, it became necessary to delve deeply into the sensitivities of the people. The situation demanded a forthright diagnosis and equally courageous remedial political action. In 2015, the new political party UPPL was founded by merging the BPPF and UPDF into a single entity, with the goal of uniting all sections of Bodo society around a liberal set of ideals.
Inevitably, the formation of a new Regional Party is accompanied by many obstacles. At a time when the then BTC Government’s monopolistic tendencies threatened to stifle the essence of Bodo nationalism, the voice of the people demanded an immediate response. Thus, the UPPL began its journey in 2015 as the vehicle for this collective voice to highlight the grave and pressing challenges of the Bodo community, including socioeconomic advancement, governance, and preservation of traditions and culture, among others. The Party’s founders were ably supported by a diverse cross-section of individuals and organisations that enabled the creation of UPPL which pushed for a conflict-free and peaceful Bodoland.
On the agenda were the reunification of Bodoland’s communities, linguistic groupings, broken psyches, and hearts. UPPL began uniting all segments of society with mutual love and respect, advancing reconciliation among the diverse tribes. Also, while reassessing development strategies and evaluating development indices.
After assuming charge of BTC in December 2020, the UPPL-led alliance with the BJP and GSP began addressing development with a detailed assessment of the previous regime’s seventeen-year-long development programs, schemes, and expenditures. Within a month, our government issued a White Paper that portrayed an unsettling scenario. We inherited liabilities of Rs. 2,900 crores, with major key infrastructure projects unfinished, the condition of educational institutions at its worst, and the Secretariat malfunctioning with numerous irregularities, among other problems. Governance was disconnected from the reality on the ground, as evidenced by enormous gaps and the lack of relevant development data in any Department.
Nonetheless, we accepted this load and initiated a systematic overhaul of the entire system. During our first and a half years in power, we were able to establish a framework for holistic development in BTR, with the motto “A Safe, Smart, and Green Bodoland” – connecting our Governance with the National Developmental Process and Agenda.
Three and a half million Bodoland residents are a top priority for the government led by the UPPL, which has recognised the most pressing needs of the region and how to heal the decades-long wounds and suffering of the people. We are transitioning from a Zero Work Culture to a Work Culture, as well as from Zero Policy to Policy Making, as part of an effective Governance framework.
Our agenda is to achieve Peaceful Coexistence, mutual care, education, health care, sustainable livelihoods, effective Governance, and the timely execution of the BTR Accord 2020. The secondary objective is to close the gap in all development sectors in order to bring BTC districts up to par with their developed counterparts in the state and the nation. Industrialization and job creation for both skilled and unskilled populations are also a priority. We are improving the livelihoods and social security apparatus to address many concerns, such as reversing the negative effects of protracted conflict and incorporating programmes on psychological healing and well-being into the curriculum. Together with UNDP, we have compiled a BTR Vision 2030 Report defining the organization’s short, medium, and long-term development objectives by mapping them to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations.
Peace and Stability are gradually leading to the success of many of our government’s initiatives, as evidenced by the massive participation and success of programmes such as the ISPL Football League 2022, Kokrajhar Literary Festival, Mission Mode Programmes, and numerous aspirational programmes such as the BTR Super 50 for Civil Services and IIT/IIM Entrances, etc. The School Adoption Programme is a unique initiative designed to encourage individuals from diverse backgrounds to adopt schools in the Region. We have formalised collaborations with national and international organisations such as UNICEF, UNDP, NECTAR, and others, in order to enhance and establish a Participative Framework for Governance and Development. My objective is not to limit UPPL to merely winning and losing elections but to pursue a constructive social revolution that would allow the people of BTR to live in peace, safety, and prosperity in the future. On the seventh anniversary of UPPL’s founding, we resolve to work with sincerity, purpose, direction, and commitment in the days ahead.
( The author is the President of UPPL and the Chief Executive Member of Bodoland Territorial Council)