GUWAHATI: The Centre seems to be saddled with an increasing number of separatist demands from various quarters. While on one hand, the Telangana movement shows no sign of abating, the demand for carving out a separate Bodoland state from Assam was raked up in New Delhi on Monday.
With the start of the monsoon session of the Parliament, a delegation of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (Progressive) NDFB(P), currently under a ceasefire agreement with the Centre, sought support from tribal MPs on the demand for a separate state. The NDFB(P) leaders appealed to tribal MPs to raise the separate Bodoland issue in the ongoing parliament session.
"We earnestly appeal for your (tribal MPs) support on our issue and intervention to help us by raising the demand for creating Boroland (Bodoland) state as per the provision of Articles 2 and 3 of the Indian Constitution in this monsoon session of the Parliament," NDFB (P) information and publicity secretary, S Sanjarang, said.
Terming the demand for Bodoland as a "vexed problem", the NDFB(P) explained to the tribal MPs that the creation of a separate state would bring peace.
Sanjarang said NDFB(P), which has been part of the peace process for the last six years, is also holding a dialogue with the Centre on the issue of a separate state. "We have already met and submitted several memorandums to different heads of the government, raising our demand for statehood under Articles 2 and 3 of the Constitution of India," he said.
Apparently unhappy with the "snail's pace" at which the dialogue is progressing, Sanjarang alleged the slow progress of the peace process showed the lack of political will on the part of the Centre.
Threatening that the ongoing peace process might break down any moment, NDFB(P) asked the Centre to take a "pragmatic and sympathetic" approach to solve the "vexed Bodoland" issue.
"The peace process may break down at any moment unless the Centre takes a pragmatic and sympathetic approach to solve the "vexed Bodoland" issue. Due to lack of political will on the part of the government of India in conceding the legitimate demand, the dialogue is going on at a snail's pace," Sanjarang added.
From Monday, the NDFB(P), which is a breakaway faction of the Ranjan Daimari-led NDFB, has called a 48-hour highway and rail blockade in the state, demanding a separate state.
The demand for a separate state for the Bodos and other plain area dwelling tribes in the state in the name of Udayachal gained momentum in the 1960s. The movement continued for almost two decades. The separate state demand gained new momentum from 1987 to 2003 with the emergence of an All Bodo Students Union-led movement and an armed struggle launched by the Bodo Liberation Tigers (BLT).
"When the movement for Udayachal gained momentum, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh were granted statehood in 1971 and 1972 respectively. The tribals of Assam were very happy and hoped that Udayachal would also be achieved soon. But it did not happen.
In between the movements carried out by Absu and the BLT from 1987 to 2003, three new states, namely Jharkhand, Chhatishgarh and Uttaranchal were created. The creation of Telengana is only a matter of time. Are we not worthy of such sympathy or compassion from the government on our demand for a separate state," Sanjarang said.
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