Earlier this month Several innocent people lost their lives when Bodo militants struck in Assam after a long hiatus.

As both sides refuse to budge from their positions, common citizens face the heat

The anti-talks faction of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) caused ripples of terror in the state by killing 23 innocent people in separate incidents of violence on November 8. The militant outfit unabashedly claimed responsibility for the violence the very next day. And three more persons were gunned down by militants on Tuesday, taking the death toll to 22. NDFB spokesperson B Sadbangso told a local TV news channel that the recent violence was in response to an encounter in Sonitpur district where an “innocent Bodo tribal civilian” Mahesh Basumatary was killed. “We took revenge of his death,” he said. A Hindi-speaking person and another belonging to a minority community were shot dead by the militants at Ultapani in Kokrajhar district on the Indo-Bhutan border, while a cycle mechanic Paran Mondal was shot down at his residence in Domgaon village bordering Chirang district. The militant organisation had in the beginning of the month intimated to the press through an email that they would kill 20 Indians in retaliation for the killing of a member of their outfit.

The first incident took place at Sijucha where the Bodo militants targeted a bus travelling from Sonitpur to Sijucha in Arunachal Pradesh. According to sources, a militant signalled to stop the bus at a deserted spot by posing as a passenger. Once it stopped, armed militants, who were hiding in the jungle on both sides of the road, stormed the bus. They separated male passengers from women and children. Then they made all the male passengers stand in a row and opened fire on them. Eight persons died on the spot. The second incident occurred at Belsiri of Dhekiajuli area in which at least five people lost their lives. One after another, nine gory incidents of killing and violence rocked the state. Normal life in Assam suddenly came under the shadow of terror and people were shocked.

NDFB was formed in 1986 at Udalguri area of the Kokrajhar district under the leadership of Ranjan Daimary and the main objective of the organisation was to create a separate sovereign Bodoland for the Bodo people of Assam.

Meanwhile, the Union home minister P. Chidambaram, during his recent visit to the state, talked of intensifying the army operations against the insurgents. Chidambaram felt that Ranjan Daimary, who is currently in judicial custody after his arrest from Dhaka, was not interested in peace talks. “The demands of the Bodo people have been met substantially by the creation of Bodoland Territorial Council. It is a role model for self-governance and the BTC administration is doing well and the area under its jurisdiction is now developing. But NDFB has some more demands which are not acceptable under the Constitution of India.’’ The home minister referred to the BTC that was established according to the Memorandum of Settlement of February 10, 2003 between the Governmnet of India and the Bodo Liberation Tigers (BLT). The BTC has 12 electorate members each looking after a specific area of control called somisthi. The area under the BTC jurisdiction is called the Bodo Territorial Autonomous District (BTAD).

The director-general of Assam police Sankar Barua termed the recent attack as unfortunate. “It is unfortunate and the Assam police will start a massive operation against NDFB on the Assam-Arunachal border with the help of Arunachal police,” he said. The DGP, however, refrained from disclosing any details about the operation.

On the other hand, a national convention of the Bodo people is being organised at Kokrajhar to unite various Bodo organisations and to bring them on to one platform. More than 5000 delegates from various Bodo organisations are likely to participate in this convention which is scheduled to be held on November 18 and 19. Interestingly, at a time when NDFB chairman Ranjan Daimary has declared his support for the Bodo national convention, his cadres are found to be involved in violence. The president of Bodo People's Progressive Front (BPPF) Rabiram Narzary said, “The killing of innocent people is a heinous crime. The people who have lost their lives in these incidents were not enemies...they were the common, hardworking people of our state. One wonders why the Assam government did not take necessary steps although the militants had warned of a terror strike a week before.”

The spokesperson of the Hagrama Mahilary-led BPF Prabin Bodo said while talking to TSI, “We condemn such barbaric activities. The people who are involved in these killings should understand that in this day of globalisation no one can live alone. The 1:20 formula - that if one Bodo activist is killed at the hands of the Indian Army, then they would kill 20 Indians - is not acceptable at all. Ranjan Daimary should keep his cadre under control.” He also said that an army operation was not a permanent solution to the insurgency problem. Instead, the government should go in for political dialogue with insurgent groups. Mahilary and most of his colleagues had once been active as another militant outfit known as Bodo Liberation Tigers or BLT. In December 2003, they laid down arms and formed a political party called Bodoland People's Front (BPF). But they have remained unrelenting and aggressive about their demands.

Criticising the present Congress-led government, the former chief minister of Assam and the leader of the Opposition Prafulla Mahanta said, “It seems that some militant groups are running a parallel government in Assam. Even after receiving the warning from NDFB, how come the government failed to protect innocent civilians?” In reply to the Opposition's criticism, chief minister Tarun Gogoi has said that the state would not compromise with the terrorists and that the government would continue its operations against the outfit. “We are not going to be cowed down by terror. The army, police and paramilitary forces have already launched massive operations in NDFB strongholds. The government will tackle militancy strongly,” said Gogoi.

Meanwhile, the NDFB has again threatened that if the army operation continues against them, they will also continue such brutal killings. They have also warned the people of Assam not to help the Indian Army and if they did so they would face dire consequences.

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
Professor Arindam Chaudhuri - A Man For The Society....
Arindam Chaudhuri on his third National Award and his unique business formula for films
IIPM Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri on Internet Hooliganism
GIDF Club of IIPM Lucknow Organizes Blood Donation Camp

IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management
The hunt for hostel and paying guest (PG) accommodation for students
Best Colleges for Vocational Courses in India
INDIA'S BEST COLLEGES, INSTITUTES and UNIVERSITIES