
Guwahati: The All Bodo Students' Union (Absu) has claimed that Union home minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday "responded positively" to the decades-old demand of All Bodo Students' Union (Absu) and Peoples Joint Action Committee for Boroland Movement (PJACBM) for a separate Bodoland state.
Singh's response came at a 40-minute tripartite meeting he chaired in New Delhi between the Centre, the Assam government and the two organisations, the union said.
The organisations placed three demands - creation of Bodoland comprising districts on the north bank of the Brahmaputra, Scheduled Tribes (hills) status for Bodos in Karbi Anglong and land and political rights to Bodos living outside the Bodoland area - for an early solution.
"The home minister listened very patiently and responded positively," said Absu president Pramod Boro.
In a memorandum to Singh, the two organisations reminded him that Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised during Lok Sabha poll campaign at Bongaigaon and Mangaldoi that the BJP would resolve the Bodo problem if it was voted to power.
They said it was futile for the Centre to make a "desperate attempt" to implement development programmes as an alternative to Bodoland.
The Centre was represented by Union home secretary Rajiv Gauba and joint secretary, home (Northeast) Satyendra Garg and Intelligence Bureau additional director J.K. Mishra. The Assam government was represented by irrigation minister Bhabesh Kalita, chief secretary T.Y. Das, principal secretary, home and political department, Arun Sarma, director-general of police Kuladhar Saikia and special DGP (SB) Pallav Bhattacharyya.
Absu was represented by its president Pramod Boro, vice-presidents Dipen Boro and Romeo Narzary, general secretary Lawrence Islary, assistant general secretary Kwrwmdao Wary and adviser Khungkra Swargiary.
The PJACBM was represented by chief convener Rakesh Boro, deputy chief convener Garjan Mashahary and adviser Benedict Hajoary. Former Lok Sabha MP S.K. Bwiswmuthiary and former Rajya Sabha member Urkhao Gwra Brahma, also attended.