Union Home Minister Amit Shah To Sign Accord With Banned Bodo Group Today

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will sign an accord with the banned Assam-based insurgent group National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) today. The accord will give political and economic provisions to the tribals, including safeguarding the Bodo language and culture. However, it will nothing related to long standing demand of a separate Bodoland state or union territory. According to a report of Economic Times, job-oriented higher-education institutions and a sports university are expected to be part of the pact.

The tripartite agreement will be signed in the presence of Amit Shah, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, and top leadership of the four factions of the NDFB, Joint Secretary in the Home Ministry Satyendra Garg and Assam Chief Secretary Kumar Sanjay Krishna. The four factions of the NDFB, which will sign the pact, are led by Ranjan Daimari, Govinda Basumatary, Dhiren Boro and B Saoraigra.

"The accord will provide for some political rights to the Bodo tribals living in Assam and some economic package for the community," a senior official privy to the development said.

Commenting on the key demand of the NDFB, which is either a separate state or a UT, a senior official said that it is not going to be entertained. "The accord will be within the framework of the Constitution without splitting the state," another official said.

The Home minister is very keen to conclude the accord as early as possible to end the protected Bodo insurgency in Assam so that a lasting peace is returned to the Bodo-dominated areas in the state, the official said.

First Bodo accord signed in 1993

The first Bodo accord was signed with the All Bodo Students Union (ABSU) in 1993, leading to creation of a Bodoland Autonomous Council with limited political powers.

In 2003, the second Bodo accord was signed with the militant group Bodo Liberation Tigers (BLT), leading to formation of a Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) with four districts of Assam -- Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baska and Udalguri -- called the Bodoland Territorial Area District (BTAD).

The BTC has control over 30 subjects like education, forests, horticulture but no jurisdiction on 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.