Delay in Bodo Accord implementation may spark ABSU-led democratic movement
ABSU president Dipen Boro highlighted pending issues, including amendment of Article 280, expansion of BTC constituencies, full implementation of the Forest Rights Act, and the creation of the Bodo Kachari Autonomous Council.;

NDFB leaders signing the Accord in New Delhi
Guwahati, July 5: The All Bodo Students' Union (ABSU) has threatened to launch a democratic movement if all the clauses of the Peace Accord signed with all four factions of the National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) are not implemented by the end of this year. The accord was signed in January, 2020.
Talking to The Assam Tribune, ABSU president Dipen Boro said that a review meeting on the implementation of the Accord was held with representatives of the Ministry of Home Affairs and the State Government recently and the ABSU made its stand clear on the implementation of the Accord, threatening to launch a movement if all the clauses are not implemented within 2025.
Giving details of the clauses of the Accord, which are yet to be implemented, Boro said that Article 280 of the Constitution of India should be amended to give more power to the Bodoland Territorial Council and to create Finance Commission for the BTC.
He said that if it is done, the Council would be able to get funds directly from the Central Government without routing the same through the State Government. He said that the number of constituencies should be increased from 40 to 60 and anti-defection law should be made applicable in the Council.
On inclusion of more villages in the Council, Boro said that 60 villages in Biswanath and Sonitpur districts have been included in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) and another 300 villages are to be included.
Boro revealed that three major points of the Accord, that is, giving ST Hills status to the Bodo Kacharis living in Karbi Anglong, creation of Bodo Kachari Autonomous Council outside of the BTR and implementation of the Forest Rights Act, 2006 are yet to be implemented and the State and Central Governments are yet to initiate any step in this regard.
He said that the assurance of provincialization of schools and colleges in the BTR is also yet to be fulfilled. Though Department of Bodo Language has been set up in Gauhati and Dibrugarh universities, there is a need to appoint teachers.
As per the Accord, the Government had assured to withdraw the cases against NDFB members and recruit members of the outfit in the central paramilitary forces, but that has not yet been done.
Among other issues, the Government assured to set up a central university in the BTR in the name of Bodofa Upendra Nath Brahma but that is yet to be done. Boro said that Government assured to establish other institutions like a campus of the Indira Gandhi Tribal University, one National Institute of Technology, a sports academy and one NERIMS in the BTR but that has also not been done.
If the Government fails to implement all the clauses soon, the ABSU will be forced to launch a movement, Boro added.