ABSU Warns of Renewed Agitation Over Delays in Bodo Peace Accord Implementation

ABSU urges Centre, Assam to expedite Bodo Peace Accord implementation; warns of renewed agitation over delays

Guwahati, June 24

In a statement issued by ABSU President Kwrwmdao Wary and General Secretary Khanindra Basumatary, ABSU said the third Bodo Accord, signed between the Government of India, the Government of Assam, ABSU, four factions of the NDFB, and the UBPO, is now "6 years, 4 months and 28 days" old as of the date, while several of its core provisions remain unimplemented.

Reiterating the long-standing aspirations of the Bodo community, ABSU said it has represented since its inception on February 15, 1967, the demand for "Freedom of Development, Social Re-generation, Economically dependent, Culturally sound with traditional knowledge system and Politically self-establish."According to an official press release in March 2021, the Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) is meant to increase the scope and power of Bodoland Territorial Council and to streamline its functioning; resolve issues related to Bodo people residing outside Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD); promote and protect Bodo's social, cultural, linguistic and ethnic identities; provide legislative protection for the land rights of tribals; ensure quick development of tribal areas and rehabilitate members of NDFB factions.The statement also mentioned that the MoS also provides for establishing a Bodo-Kachari Welfare Council as per existing procedure, notifying Bodo language as an associate official language in the State and to set up a separate directorate for Bodo medium schools.

"A provision is also there for a special Development package of Rs.1500 crores to undertake specific projects for the development of Bodo areas," the statement added.

ABSU added that the ultimate aspiration of the movement continues to remain the demand for a "Separate State Bodoland."

The organisation recalled the leadership of Bodofa Upendra Nath Brahma, describing him as the guiding force of the movement and the "Father of the Bodos," and said the struggle for identity and autonomy has undergone both democratic and armed phases over the decades.

As per the release, ABSU further stated that the Bodo movement has seen multiple accords, including the BAC Accord of February 20, 1993 (later repealed in 2003), the BTC Accord of February 10, 2003 establishing the Bodoland Territorial Areas Districts (BTAD), and the BTR Accord of January 27, 2020, which provided for augmentation of boundary, powers and functions and renamed it the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR).

ABSU said more than 5,000 people have lost their lives and warned that any failure to fully implement the Accord would amount to "disrespect to the sacrifice of more than 5000 martyrs and sentiments of Bodo people may be bound to invoke for another struggle."

The student body demanded immediate implementation of key provisions related to boundary expansion and institutional strengthening of the Bodoland Territorial Region. It said the Commission constituted under Para 14 of the Sixth Schedule expired on March 31, 2025, after inclusion of 60 claimed villages, while 634 villages, including revenue, sub-villages, forest and FRC villages, remain under dispute.

ABSU also said the Joint Monitoring (JM) meeting, initially scheduled from June 1, had been postponed four times before being held on June 23, 2026, terming the delay as reflective of a "lackadaisical attitude" on the part of the governments, a release added.

ABSU also demanded that the Constitution (125th Amendment) Bill be passed in the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament, which seeks to amend the sixth schedule of the Constitution to give greater autonomy to Autonomous councils in the states of Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Tripura. It said the proposed amendment is crucial for the full implementation of the Memorandum of Settlement and includes provisions to increase Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) seats to 60, incorporate powers listed in Annexure I of the Accord, introduce anti-defection provisions in the Sixth Schedule Council, ensure conduct of council elections by the State Election Commission, and strengthen financial arrangements through amendment of Article 280.

As per the release, it cautioned that if the implementation process continues to be delayed, it may be compelled to reconsider its course of action, stating that it could "re-determine the line toward Freedom of Development" and resort to constitutional provisions under Articles 2 and 3 for the creation of a separate state of Bodoland carved out of Assam.

— ANI