GUWAHATI: Barely 12 hours after the Centre decided to initiate the process of forming a separate Telengana state, the Congress ally in Assam,
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Bodo People's Front (BPF), has renewed its demand for Bodoland a separate state for the Bodos.
Formed by members of the now-disbanded Bodo Liberation Tiger (BLT), BPF is currently ruling the autonomous Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), besides sharing power with Congress in the state government.
Former BLT commander and now BPF chief Hagrama Mohilary on Thursday said his party MLAs would raise the demand for a separate Bodoland state in the Assembly on Friday. He is the chief administrator of the BTC, which was set up under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution in 2003.
"When we had gone into negotiations with the state and the NDA government in Delhi, we were told that the Central policy did not permit division of any state to form a new one," Mohilary said.
"We therefore agreed to an autonomous set-up under the Sixth Schedule. But now, with the UPA mulling a separate Telengana state by dividing Andhra Pradesh, we think that the Centre has changed its policy and is now in favour of creating new states," he added.
"We welcome the UPA's decision to create Telengana. But, at the same time, the Bodos want a similar privilege. Our demand for Bodoland has been there for a long time," Mohilary added.
On the other hand, chief minister Tarun Gogoi, too, seems to have sensed the repercussions of the Centre's decision on the Telengana issue in the state. On Thursday, he urged New Delhi to pump in "enough funds" for the development of tribal areas in the state "if it wants these people not to raise similar demands".
Gogoi said, "For instance, the population of Karbi Anglong and North Cachar Hills districts in Assam is almost the same as Mizoram. If Mizoram can be a full-fledged state, the people of Karbi Anglong and NC Hills will certainly feel deprived. Their resentment is natural."
Gogoi is also aware of the long-pending demand of a separate state in the Bodo heartland. Political observers say it would be interesting to see how Gogoi tackles the demand raised by the coalition partner of Congress.
Biswajit Daimary, the BPF member in Rajya Sabha, has already raised the demand for a separate Bodoland in the House.
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Bodo People's Front (BPF), has renewed its demand for Bodoland a separate state for the Bodos.
Formed by members of the now-disbanded Bodo Liberation Tiger (BLT), BPF is currently ruling the autonomous Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), besides sharing power with Congress in the state government.
Former BLT commander and now BPF chief Hagrama Mohilary on Thursday said his party MLAs would raise the demand for a separate Bodoland state in the Assembly on Friday. He is the chief administrator of the BTC, which was set up under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution in 2003.
"When we had gone into negotiations with the state and the NDA government in Delhi, we were told that the Central policy did not permit division of any state to form a new one," Mohilary said.
"We therefore agreed to an autonomous set-up under the Sixth Schedule. But now, with the UPA mulling a separate Telengana state by dividing Andhra Pradesh, we think that the Centre has changed its policy and is now in favour of creating new states," he added.
"We welcome the UPA's decision to create Telengana. But, at the same time, the Bodos want a similar privilege. Our demand for Bodoland has been there for a long time," Mohilary added.
On the other hand, chief minister Tarun Gogoi, too, seems to have sensed the repercussions of the Centre's decision on the Telengana issue in the state. On Thursday, he urged New Delhi to pump in "enough funds" for the development of tribal areas in the state "if it wants these people not to raise similar demands".
Gogoi said, "For instance, the population of Karbi Anglong and North Cachar Hills districts in Assam is almost the same as Mizoram. If Mizoram can be a full-fledged state, the people of Karbi Anglong and NC Hills will certainly feel deprived. Their resentment is natural."
Gogoi is also aware of the long-pending demand of a separate state in the Bodo heartland. Political observers say it would be interesting to see how Gogoi tackles the demand raised by the coalition partner of Congress.
Biswajit Daimary, the BPF member in Rajya Sabha, has already raised the demand for a separate Bodoland in the House.
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