In a major step to usher in “permanent peace” in the region, the Centre and Assam Government on Monday signed a tripartite peace accord with the dreaded insurgent group National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) and other militant outfits.
The accord signed in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah promised political and economic benefits while not acceding to the demand for separate State or Union Territory. The members of the armed outfits will surrender on January 30, Mahatma Gandhi’s martyrdom day, as per the accord.
Soon after the agreement was signed at the Union Home Ministry in the afternoon, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said it would usher in a new dawn of peace, harmony and togetherness.
“Today is a very special day for India. The accord with Bodo groups, which has been inked today will lead to transformative results for the Bodo people. Bodo Accord inked today stands out for many reasons. It successfully brings together the leading stakeholders under one framework. Those who were previously associated with armed resistance groups will now be entering the mainstream and contributing to our nation’s progress,” Modi said in a series of tweets.
The Home Minister described the agreement as “historic” and said it would bring permanent peace and solution to the decades-old problems of the Bodo people. “This agreement will facilitate all round development of the Bodo areas, their language and culture will be protected without compromising the territorial integrity of Assam,” he told reporters after the accord was signed.
Shah said due to the violence perpetrated by the Bodo militants, over 4,000 people lost their lives in the past few decades.
The All Bodo Students’ Union (ABSU), which has been spearheading a movement for a Bodoland State since 1972, and the United Bodo People’s Organisation, were signatories to the Comprehensive Bodo Settlement Agreement. The agreement was signed by top leaders of the four NDFB factions, the ABSU and the UBPO, Joint Secretary in the Home Ministry Satyendra Garg, and Assam Chief Secretary Kumar Sanjay Krishna.
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal also signed the pact as one of the witnesses. Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was present on the occasion.
The NDFB was responsible for a series of violent acts in the past few decades, including the massacre of nearly 70 Adivasis in December 2014.
Shah said no stone would be left unturned for the development of Assam and the Northeastern region. “A final and comprehensive solution to their demands has been made, while retaining the territorial integrity of Assam,” he said.
After the agreement, NDFB factions will leave the path of violence, surrender their weapons and disband their armed organisations within a month of signing the deal,” he said.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said after the accord different communities in the State will be able to live with harmony and it will lay the foundation of a bright future, fulfilling aspirations of the people.
Sarma said as per the accord, 1,550 militants belonging to the NDFB lay down their arms on January 30, an economic programme of Rs 1,500 crore will be implemented in the next three years with equal contribution of Rs 750 crore each from the central and state governments.
Around 1,550 cadres of NDFB(P), NDFB(RD) and NDFB(S) will be rehabilitated by the central and state governments.
Sarma said the existing structure of the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) will be strengthened with more powers and its seats will be expanded from 40 to 60, he said. A commission will be set up for inclusion of Bodo-dominated villages in the BTC and exclusion of those where Bodos are not in majority.
This was the third Bodo accord to be signed in 27 years. The first accord was signed with the All Bodo Students’ Union in 1993, leading to the creation of a Bodoland Autonomous Council with limited political powers.
In 2003, the second accord was signed with the militant group Bodo Liberation Tigers, leading to formation of a Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) with four districts of Assam -- Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baska and Udalguri -- called Bodoland Territorial Area District (BTAD).
As per Monday’s accord, the name of BTAD will be changed to Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) and it will have more executive, administrative, legislative and financial powers. The BTC currently has control over 30 subjects such as education, forests, horticulture but no jurisdiction over the police, revenue and general administration departments, which are controlled by the Assam government.
The BTC was formed under the 6th Schedule of the Constitution. The Assam Government will soon notify Bodo language as in Devanagari script as an associate official language of the State.
The State Government will give Rs 5 lakh each to the next of kin of those who lost their lives during the agitation for a separate state, criminal cases with non-heinous charges against NDFB members will be withdrawn while heinous cases will be reviewed case-to-case basis as per the existing rules, according to the pact.
