NEWSLINKS US EDITION COLUMNISTS DIARY SPECIALS INTERVIEWS CAPITAL BUZZ REDIFF POLL THE STATES ELECTIONS ARCHIVES SEARCH REDIFF
Barring a last minute hitch, the Assam government and the banned militant Bodo Liberation Tigers are likely to sign an accord in New Delhi on Thursday evening for the creation of a separate autonomous region for the Bodos within Assam, top Assam government officials said in Guwahati.
Assam Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta has rushed to the capital via Calcutta to be present at the signing ceremony.
The BLT has been observing a cease-fire with the government since March 2000. At least three rounds of talks were held before the terms of the new pact were finalised between officials of the Union home ministry and the BLT leadership.
According to informed sources, the accord is likely to be done under the provisions of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution that envisages a creation of a autonomous territory or region within the geographical boundaries of present day Assam.
Two top Bodo organisations, the All Bodo Students Union and the Bodo Peoples Action Committee are likely to endorse the accord. Under the accord, the autonomous territory will have a 40-member elected body to run the administration. Twenty-five of the 40 seats will be reserved for Scheduled Tribes while 15 seats will be open to non-tribals. The new administrative body will have control over 38 departments. An arrangement is also likely to be made to fund the new body directly by the Centre.
Alternatively, 10 per cent of the Assam government's budgetary allocation may be earmarked for the new set-up.
The only hitch so far has been the stipulation of the geographical boundaries of the autonomous region. The earlier Bodo Accord, signed on February 20, 1993, failed to address the Bodo problem mainly because it did not specify the boundaries.
Last week Union home ministry officials Assam government officials to Delhi to join the ongoing negotiations to resolve the Bodo tangle. Accordingly, two senior officials, Commissioner, Tribal Affairs, P P Verma, and Director General of Police H K Deka joined the negotiations An official spokesman said that the progress of the talks has been satisfactory and differences have been narrowed down.
"Since the discussions with the Bodo leadership has been of a tripartite nature we have now invited the Assam government to join the negotiations," he added.
Significantly, a delegation of ABSU, BPAC, BSS, ABWF, besides the lone Bodo MP S K Bwismutiary called on Union Home Minister L K Advani and Union Home Secretary Kamal Pande and briefed them about the talks. The accord is likely to be rushed through in view of the imminent announcement of election dates to the Assam assembly.
Back to top
Tell us what you think of this report
