PJACBM urges government to expedite dialogue with NDFB (P)

Our Correspondent

KORKAJHAR: People’s Joint Action Committee for Boroland Movement (PJACBM) on Thursday urged upon the new BJP-led NDA government at the Centre to expedite the dialogue with the National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB-Progressive) to find a lasting solution to the Bodoland statehood issue soon.

Talking to reporters at Kokrajhar Press Club on Thursday, the chief convener of the PJACBM, Rakesh Boro said that the PJACBM, an inclusive people’s forum of more than 56 organizations representing all communities living in proposed Boroland, has been stressing and pressurizing for an amicable solution to the decade-old vexed Boroland statehood issue through advocacy and peaceful democratic movement. “It has been more than 13 years since the NDFB (P) is in ceasefire with the GOI. Though several rounds of formal and informal discussions have been held politically, officially and with the designated interlocutor, still a solution is not in sight. For the last several years two interlocutors have failed to bring solution with the NDFB (P),” he said, adding that at present interlocutor AB Mathur was in charge since last year and he had held talks with the NDFB (P) and other armed groups.

Boro said the PJACBM had long been seeking a permanent and amicable solution to the Boroland statehood issue but the insincere attitude and negligence of the government had caused resentment. The poll commitment of 2014 was a decisiveness example that the ruling party had failed to keep their promise within the stipulated period, he said. The PJACBM strongly urged the Prime Minister, Home Minister and the Chief Minister of Assam that in the greater interest of peace and all-round development, they should give special preference to the insurgency matter of the Northeast.

Boro welcomed the idea of Modi in his recent statement given to some media about the development of the Northeast region where he viewed that permanent peace and stability were a must for all-round development of the State and the Northeast. For this he expressed his keenness to expedite the peace talks with all insurgent armed groups of the Northeast which were in ceasefire with the Government of India. He also stressed the need for a comprehensive solution to the various demands and problems of the people and armed groups of the region.

Further, the PJACBM urged the Government of India to expedite the dialogue with the NDFB (P) and find a lasting solution to the long-standing demand for creation of Boroland statehood and to expedite the talks with the ULFA, Adivasi militant groups and other insurgent groups of Assam and Northeast in the interest of Northeast people for peace, harmony and all-round development.

The press meet was also attended by the deputy chief convener of PJACBM, Gorjan Mashahary, president of United Muslim Minority Council (UMMC), Md. Usuf Ali, advisor of All Assam Bengali Students’ Federation (AABSF), Sushil Das, general secretary of Goria Moria Desi Janagostia Parishad, Fazlul Karim Hazarika and general secretary of United Gorkha Forum (UGF), Shekhar Sharma.

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