Bodo outfits step up stir as Centre delays talks

Guwahati: In what may trigger a major movement for a separate Bodoland in western Assam, the indefinite hunger strike of All-Bodo Students Union and other Bodo groups Tuesday entered its fifth day.

ABSU president Pramod Boro, visibly not happy with the response of the government, said, “The government should not treat us like Bangladeshi or Pakistani. They should decide whether they want to talk to us or they want to fight. They don’t need to make attempts to befool us.”

It is significant that the home ministry has been assuring the groups of holding talks, but it never materialised, forcing the ABSU spearheading a movement for a separate Bodoland in Assam to start an indefinite hunger strike to press for their demand.

“We’ll not withdraw the agitation till talk starts at the political level. We need a separate Bodoland state,” said Mr Boro.

Stating that the government had sent a “half-hearted” letter Monday requesting to end the hunger strike with no specific time and date for political dialogue, he said the Union government and Assam did not have time to address the issues of the indigenous people.

“We are warning all the forces working against the interest of the Bodos and other indigenous communities to refrain from such activities,” he said.

The ABSU with pro-talk factions of National Democratic Front of Boroland and People’s Joint Action Committee for Boroland Movement, started the indefinite hunger strike March 10.