ASSAM: OBSERVANCE OF 31ST BODOLAND MARTYR DAY

The All Bodo Students Union has observed the “31st Bodoland Martyr Day” at Borpukhuri, Gohpur in commemoration of the great heroes who have laid down their valuable lives for the existence and self determination through creation of separate state Bodoland curving out from the present state of Assam under the provision of the Article 2 & 3 of the Indian Constitution. During the six year Bodoland movement from 1987-1993, 1135 Bodo people were martyred by the then state and non state actors of Assam out of which 535 were from Gohpur.

On the 12 June 1987 Sujit Narzary a class IX student was killed by the Anti-Bodoland miscreants while returning from democratic non violent rally held at Judge Field Guwhati. As it was the 1st incident of the Bodoland movement, since then the Bodo community declared the day as the Bodoland Martyr Day and have been observing every year to commemorate the entire martyrs for the cause of Bodoland State.

Gohpur Massacre was a historical pettiness and inhuman act that reminds us about the barbaric mass killing during 1989 that succumbed to death 535 people for which the village folk compelled to flee leaving their property and houses to Arunachal Pradesh the nearby state due to burning of the houses, killing, looting and arson etc.

Both BAC and BTC accords have failed to protect the very existence and the identity of the Bodos and its language, culture and land rights. The voice and demand for creation of the Bodoland is still continuing through series of democratic mass movement launched by ABSU, NDFB (P) and PJACBM along with the demand for constitutional rights to the Bodos living outside proposed Bodoland and grant ST Hills status to the Bodos of Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao. Moreover NDFB (P) and NDFB are also in peace process and waiting for early solution through meaningful dialogue.

It was a commitment of the BJP party of the Election Manifesto 2014 if they voted into power they would resolve the Bodoland issue. A tripartite talk also held on 26th April, 2017 at North Block, New Delhi under the chairmanship of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singhji and assured to continue the talk and to resolve the issue through discussion. But after elapse of the four year of BJP led NDA government in centre the solution of the Bodoland issue seemed fantasy for lack of sincerity and political will. Throughout the observance of the Bodoland Martyr day the All Bodo Students Union and its ally movement group re-affirm to continue the democratic mass movement for early solution of the Bodoland issue and appeal the Modi government to keep its commitment before 2019 General Election. Hence the Union have to ask the Modi led Union government that “Was it a mistake to vote for BJP in 2014?”

The Union also conveys its heartiest thanks to Mr. Sonowal led Assam government for announcements to grant ex-gratia of Rs. 5 lacs to the next to kin of each martyr family of Bodoland Movement.