Bodo groups press for overdue constitutional amendment at Jantar Mantar

A renewed call for action on long-pending commitments under the 2020 Bodo Accord dominated a three-hour sit-in at Jantar Mantar on November 21, as organisations warned that the agreement’s “legitimacy comes into question” if key provisions continue to stall.

 

The All Bodo Students Union (ABSU), the United Boro People Organisation (UBPO) and the Ex-NDFB Welfare Association (ENWA) led the demonstration, following a national-level seminar held yesterday at the Constitution Club with representatives from 10 Sixth Schedule councils across the Northeast.

 

At the centre of the protest is the demand for Parliament to finally pass the 125th Constitution Amendment Bill, 2019—pending for six years—which is meant to strengthen financial autonomy and administrative powers of the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) and nine other autonomous councils in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram.

 

Leaders said the delay has undermined key promises made during the signing of the Bodo Accord. “Peace has prevailed, but if the accord is not implemented in time, the legitimacy of the accord comes into question,” one speaker reiterated, keeping a portion of the original statement intact.

 

Although more than a dozen tripartite review meetings have been held with the Union Home Ministry and several rounds of talks have taken place with the Union Home Minister himself, the groups said “months after months and session after session” continue to pass without substantial progress.

 

The organisations urged the Centre and the Assam government to complete implementation of the accord “in letter and spirit” and highlighted the following priority points:

• Immediate passage of the 125th Amendment Bill to revise Article 280 and the Sixth Schedule for enhanced financial powers and direct central funding to BTC.
• Expansion of BTC constituencies to 60 seats without reducing existing tribal reservations.
• Transfer of additional subjects promised under Annexure-I of the accord to strengthen legislative and executive authority.
• Creation of Village and Municipal Councils in BTR with constitutional backing.
• ST (Hill) status for Bodo-Kachari people in Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao.
• Full-fledged status for the Boro Kachari Welfare Autonomous Council, including completion of village notifications and elections.
• Provincialisation of schools and colleges in BTR and Bodo-medium institutions outside it.
• Settlement of land rights under the Forest Rights Act for tribal communities in several districts.
• Withdrawal of pending cases against former NDFB members and release of those still imprisoned, along with ex-gratia for families of those killed.
• Major infrastructure commitments, including a central university named after Upendra Nath Brahma, a regional campus of Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, medical and technical institutes, national-level sports facilities, Navodaya Vidyalayas and a highway named after Banasur.

 

ABSU and its partner organisations announced a mass gathering in Kokrajhar in December, expected to draw nearly two lakh participants, to further intensify pressure on the government.

 

The groups said the demonstration is not confrontational but a reminder of promises. “Commitment made by the Government of India during the Bodo Accord, 2020, should be materialised. Bodo people’s aspiration must be taken as priority,” ABSU leaders stated.

 

The rally concluded with signatures from the heads and general secretaries of ABSU, UBPO and ENWA, marking a unified push for swift and comprehensive implementation of the accord.