Absu blockade over separate state hits life

KOKRAJHAR: A five-hour national highway blockade, called by All Bodo Students' Union (Absu) and its allied organizations demanding a separate Boroland state, paralysed traffic in the entire northeast on Tuesday.
The students' union has made it clear that it will not relax till its movement yields results.
Thousands of supporters of Absu, NDFB (Progressive), People's Joint Action Committee for Bodoland Movement (PJACBM), All Assam Tribal Sangha, Boro Somaj, Dularai Bathou Gouthum, United People's Party-Liberal (UPPL) and leaders of Garo Students' Union took part in the NH blockade at Karigaon in Kokrajhar district from 6am to 11am.
The Absu members and supporters also blocked stretched of NH-15, 31, 31 (C ) and 37 at Karigaon in Kokrajhar, Barama in Baksa district, Dudhnoi Amzonga in Goalpara, Orang in Udalguri, Dhakuakhana in Lakhimpur, Simen Chapori in Dhemaji and Jagiroad in Morigaon district.
General secretary Lawrence Islary said, "We have been demanding a separate Bodoland state for the past 50 years but the state government has been systematically denying the political and historical rights of the Bodos."
He blamed the Centre for not being sincere enough to find a solution through dialogues, even after NDFB(P) declared ceasefire in 2005 to come to the talks table, while drawing a sharp contrast with the Centre's biased treatment for Ulfa and NSCN(IM). He added that the Bodos would not sit as mute spectators to such injustices while the government would unnecessarily delay the peace process with NDFB(P).
Recalling BJP's tactics of seeking Bodos' help in the parliamentary election with the false promise of fulfilling their demands once it came to power, Islary expressed despair at the thought of being cheated.
"We have set a target for amicable solution of Bodoland issue within three years through mission Bodoland-2019 after which we will embark on an intensive people's movement till the government gives a positive response," he said.
Former Rajya Sabha MP Urkhao Gwra Brahma said,"I have seen a lot of struggle by the Bodos that started from the movement of Plains Tribal Council of Assam (PTCA), but today's stir is completely different."
A memorandum was sent to the PM, urging for a separate state. A copy of the memorandum was sent to Union home minister Rajnath Singh and CM Sarbananda Sonowal.