Tribal people being treated like step-children in Assam: Anjali Daimary

Guwahati, January 30, 2019:

The life imprisonment sentence to Ranjan Daimary, President of National Democratic Front of Bodoland, has created a stir in Assam, with calls for a separate Bodo state being raised yet again. Daimary, along with nice accomplices, has been sentenced to life-imprisonment today at Guwahati’s CBI special court for the serial bomb blasts triggered by the NDFB on October 30, 2008. Eighty eight people lost their lives in the blasts that took place in Guwahati, Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon and Barpeta.

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Amid the controversial judgement which came amid peace talks between the Central Government and the NDFB, supporters of the organization's leader, whom they hail as a "freedom fighter", gathered outside the Court and raised slogans of “NDFB long live”. Ranjan Daimary’s sister, Anjali Daimary was also present at the location. Speaking exclusively to InsideNE, she said: “One organization (NDFB) was in peace process and the President (Ranjan Daimary) was involved in every talk. There is no question of the peace talks continuing without the President, thus we are appealing to the Government to give priority to the peace process.”

Anjali Daimary also lamented that tribal people of the state are being treated like second-class citizens. “Tribals are being treated like step-children, and that is why these kinds of slogans (for separate statehood) are coming. Not only from Bodos, but also from Karbis, Dimasas, Rabhas, Misings, Tiwas.”

She also questioned why other armed organization leaders are not being charged as they too have killed children, Hindi-speakers, SP, MPs etc. “Why only with the Bodos?” she asked. “We don’t get anything good with the Government, the administration, the police, the army force”. She stated that today's decision shows that even the Courts are against the Bodo people.

She finally added that they will keep on fighting and move to a higher court to challenge the Court’s decision. “We will keep on fighting, outside or inside (the jail). Legally, we will keep on fighting.”