Borigaon (Udalguri), June 23: It was 3.30 this afternoon when NDFB chief Ranjan Daimary finally set foot in his Assam-type house alongside an irrigation canal at Odla Khashibari under Harisinga police station in Assam’s Udalguri district.
Daimary had left home 27 years ago seeking an independent and sovereign state for the Bodos. It was, therefore, no surprise that tears flowed freely as one family member after another welcomed him with tight hugs.
While his elder brother Pratul said, “What can I say? I am happy, very happy to see him at home,” his elder sister Anjali hoped his return would help solve the burning problems of the Bodos in a democratic manner.
Anjali had travelled with Ranjan the entire 110km from Guwahati after he left the central jail there around 8 this morning.
Before going home, however, Daimary made a stop at a public meeting organised here to felicitate him.
Addressing the large gathering at Borigaon stadium, Daimari said the problems faced by the Bodos could be solved only by democratic means, through talks with the government.
Calling for public support, he said he had been fighting to improve the lot of the Bodos for 27 years now. “We have lost many friends during our struggle and we salute their sacrifices on this occasion.”
Stressing on unification of all organisations to find a political solution for the Bodo issue, Daimary urged splinter groups to unite and engage in peaceful negotiations with the Indian government. “We have a dream to live with dignity and identity. We have a dream to control our affairs, to determine our destiny with maximum freedom within our territory,” he said.
Later he told reporters, “I had come out to talk with the government of India to solve the political issues of the Bodos. We are prepared to talk with anybody so that we can solve the problem together,” he said.
The soaring temperature failed to keep people away, as around 25,000 gathered from different parts of the north bank to greet him at the homecoming ceremony. They held up placards saying, “You are in our heart”, “Your sacrifice will not go in vain” and “You are symbol of peace”, among others. More than 50 organisations felicitated him.
Reception committee chairman Nila Kanta Gayary, who presided over the ceremony, said, “We welcome the step taken by Hagrama Mohilary and the Indian government to create a conducive atmosphere for talks and also for expressing willingness to solve the burning problems, which the Bodos have been facing since long. We believe that Ranjan Daimary’s return will help people work together for the peace, progress and development of Bodoland.”
Various Bodo and other indigenous community organisations, including the Bodo National Conference (BNC), All Bodo Students Union (Absu), All Assam Tribal Sangha, welcomed Daimary’s release and expressed hope that it would pave the way for peace talks.
BNC chief convener and BTC deputy chief Kampha Borgoyary expressed hope that Daimary would join the peace talks, while urging the Centre to start negotiations to bring about a permanent solution to the Bodo problems. He also urged the warring factions of the NDFB to unite for the common cause.
Absu president Promode Boro said, “It should not stop here. The government should initiate peace talks to solve the pending Bodo problems effectively once and for all.”
The Tribal Sangha general secretary, Aditya Kaklary, too, urged the Centre to start the peace talks at the earliest.
The Bodo Sahitya Sabha expressed a similar wish, while welcoming Daimary’s release.
