Four statehood demands rock Assam amidst violence

The UPA government's decision to create Telangana has brought long-standing demands by four ethnic groups for separate states carved out of Assam to the fore, with large-scale violence and agitation erupting in the state.

Bodos, Karbi, Dimasas and Koch-Rajbongshis have demanded separate states. The hill district of Karbi Anglong witnessed violence with two persons killed and several injured.

The All Bodo Students' Union was observing a 12-hour rail blockade today with several organisations, including the Bodo Sahitya Sabha, All Bodo Women's Federation, Bodoland Peoples Progressive Front, NDFB(P), People Joint Action Committee for Bodoland Movement.

The ABSU has also called a 60-hour strike from August 5 to demand a separate state for Bodos.

The United Democratic People's Front, comprising several Bodo organisations, has called a 1500-hour strike, the longest ever in the region, from August five on the same demand.

The National Democratic Front of Bodoland-Progressive and the People's Joint Action Committee for Bodoland Movement have jointly called a 100-hour highway blockade from August 13 and will observe a 24-hour hunger-strike on August 20 at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.

The Bodo Peoples' Front, an ally of the ruling Congress in the state government, has also stepped up demand for a separate state for the community and had met Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde last Wednesday at New Delhi.

The All Koch Rajbongshi Students' Union has begun a 36-hour Assam strike from yesterday demanding a separate Kamtapur state which would be followed by a 100-hour hunger-strike and a bandh on Independence Day.

The Hills State Democratic Party has called a 100-hour strike in the hill districts of Dima Hasao and Karbi Anglong from August 5 demanding separate states of Dima Hasoa and Karbi Anglong.