Demand for Bodoland grows stonger in Assam

With the Union government putting in motion formalities for the formation of the new state of Telangana, the demand for separate statehood for Bodos in Assam has grown stronger. Also, demands for formation of separate state of Kamtapur, Karbi-Anglong have started rending the airs of Assam.

For the North-Eastern state of Assam, which sits on a tinderbox full of sub-nationalistic aspirations, and a state that has been a witness to many secessionist movements in the past, Telengana precedent might put the state on boil.

From rallies to bandhs, rail-blockade to economic blockade, Assam is set to witness all in coming days as Bodo organisations and Koch-Rajbongshi organisations have announced them as part of their plan of action to press for their statehood demands.

To start with, All Bodo Students' Union (ABSU) has announced a 12-hour rail-blockade on August 2, followed by a 60-hour Assam bandh from August 5 and finally a 1,000-hour economic blockade later this month.

As per their preliminary action plan, the All Koch Rajbongshi Students' Union (AKRSU) has called for a 36-hour Assam bandh from August 1.

The Bodoland People's Front (BPF), the ruling party of the autonomous Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), has taken a resolution too to revive the separate Bodoland-state demand in the wake of the Centre's promise to create separate state of Telangana.

Hagrama Mohilary, chief of BTC as well as BPF, has asked both the Assam government and the Centre to pave the way for creation of Bodoland soon. "If Centre can bifurcate Andhra Pradesh and create Telangana, why can't it bifurcate Assam and create Bodoland. Bodoland demand is not new, it is one of the oldest demands. BTC had already passed the resolution in February 2010 for the creation of Bodoland. The Centre should also table the Bodoland state bill in Parliament soon," said Mohilary.