ABSU meet resolves to fight for peaceful resolution of Bodo issues at Kokrajhar district

Our Correspondent

Kokajhar: The three-day 52nd conference of the All Bodo Students’ Union (ABSU) concluded on Monday at Jaorikhang Fwthar, Serfanguri in Kokrajhar district.

The influential student union adopted several important resolutions related to the growth and uplift of the community, including to expedite the ongoing peace accord process with the NDFB and to continue its demand for separate Bodoland through the State Reorganization Commission in India.

The ABSU conference also resolved to rectify the imposition of Assamese language as compulsory subject in Assam and to demand to make Bodo language as one of the official languages in Assam, to resolve all the pending issues of Bodo medium schools, colleges, and university before the National Education Policy, 2019 comes into force, and to demand for consultation with CCTOA on the New Land Policy of Assam, 2019 before placing before the Legislative Assembly. The students’ union also resolved to oppose the implementation of Clause VI of Assam Accord in its present form as the delegates found it to be exclusive for the protection of the Assamese speaking community.

Talking to reporters, ABSU president Promod Boro said the union had resolved to continue the vigorous mass movement if the government did not take a policy decision at the political level for permanent solution of the Bodoland issue at the earliest and also for political right to the Bodos living outside the proposed Bodoland area and Hills Tribe status to the Bodos living in Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao.

“The delegate house heartily welcomes the cabinet decision of the Assam Government for the solution of Bodo issue and urges the State and Central governments to act accordingly for a permanent peaceful solution. Further, the house appeals to the Union Government to take necessary initiative for early solution of Bodoland and its related issues as decided by the State Cabinet of Assam Government,” he said. He also urged upon the State Government not to impose the Assamese language for Bodo medium schools of Assam as well as the Bodo students studying in another medium as compulsory language subjects. He appealed to the State Government for a continuation of the language formula in schools instead of four languages.

Boro said the ABSU had been demanding for implementation of Bodo language as one of the State official languages of Assam as per the Governor notification 15/02/2016 with immediate effect. He also said the union had decided to oppose the implementation of Clause VI of Assam Accord in its present form as the delegates found it to be exclusive for the protection of the Assamese speaking community. “Implementation of this clause will be acceptable only if it is rectified and made inclusive for the safeguard of all the ethnic and tribal communities of Assam,” he said.

Meanwhile, the delegate meeting resolved to reiterate its demand for the creation of separate Directorate of Education for the Bodo medium. It also resolved to demand for solution of other problems of Bodo medium like filling up of all vacant posts of Bodo medium LP, UP, High Schools, Higher Secondary and colleges of Assam to meet the huge gap of PTR in Bodo medium schools, provincial nation of all category venture Bodo medium schools and colleges of Assam without any condition, and to support the infrastructure development and establishment of teachers’ training institutes before the National Education Policy, 2019 came into force. It also resolved to demand the Government of Assam to make available all the Bodo medium textbooks before the commencement of the new academic session in all the Bodo medium schools across Assam.

Prof Kamal Malla Buzarbaruah, former Vice-Chancellor of Assam Agriculture University, Jorhat graced the open session on a concluding day as the chief guest. Hitendra Nath Goswami, Speaker of the Assam Legislative Assembly, and Bodo Sahitya Sabha president Toren Boro attended as specially invited guests. The open session was also attended by the chief coordinator of the Coordination Committee of Tribal Organizations of Assam (CCTOA), Aditya Kakhlary, Prof Laishramladu Singh, Vice-Chancellor of Bodoland University and other dignitaries.

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