Abdul Gani, TwoCircles.net
Guwahati: In step to intensify the demand for the separate Bodoland state out of Assam various Bodo organizations have come together. They have even planning to bring all such separate state demanding bodies under one umbrella and to file an PIL (Public Interest Litigation) in the Supreme Court under the article 32 of Indian Constitution for their cause.
“We have welcomed the move to declare Telangana as the newest Indian state but at the same time the central government has discriminated us. Now, we have no option left but to intensify our agitation to get our demands fulfilled along with all the people who have been demanding for separate state. As the Constitution of India has given us the right to have separate state we are going to file an PIL in the Supreme Court,” said Zebraram Mushahary, Chief Convenor of People’s Joint Action Committee For Bodoland Movement (PJACFBM), an umbrella organization of 52 indigenous groups of Assam.
Though they are yet to finalize the date, all the 12 state demand committees will be included in the forum to file the PIL shortly.
PJACFBM will also start a series of agitation in the next 10 to 15 days to put pressure on the central government. Accordingly, they will start Rail Roko programme on August 2 and will submit memorandum to the Government of India through the district heads. After that from August 13 they will observe a 100 hour highway bandh till August before heading for New Delhi for hunger strike.
“We expected that all the states would be given green signal at the same time. The Congress led government has given Telangana state for without any policy but just for the sake of political milage. We have been struggling for the cause since 1967 but it is a clear discrimination to the indigenous people of Assam,” said Gobinda Basumatary, general secretary of National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) (Progressive), which is also a part of the alliance.
They also reacted sharply at Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi’s statement that at any cost no more bifurcation will be allowed in Assam. “Assam is not Gogoi’s personal property. Either he will have to surrender to the pressure of the central government or to our agitation,” he added.