"Previous govt was not serious to bring back peace, normalcy in Bodoland": Pramod Boro

Kokrajhar (Assam) [India], April 4 (ANI): Assam's Bodoland region has now emerged as a 'peace model' in the country after the region witnessed a three-decade-long political movement, conflicts, and militancy, where thousands of people lost their lives, and many more were wounded.
After signing of historic Bodo Peace' Accord in 2020 under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, peace now prevails in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) which is constitued five districts - Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa, Udalguri and Tamulpur.
Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) Chief Pramod Boro who played a pro-active role in peace-building process in Bodoland said that thinking of bringing back peace and normalcy in Bodoland was started only from 2014 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government was formed at the centre.
"Before 2014, the previous government was not serious about bringing peace and normalcy back to the region. But the process was started only after 2014. After the signing of the third Bodo Accord, peace and normalcy have come to the Bodoland region," Pramod Boro told ANI.

Speaking to ANI, Pramod Boro said that in the last four years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has visited Bodoland three times, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah has visited the region six times.
"This part of the country can't be ignored, isolated, left undeveloped. More than 3.5 million people are living in this region. If we think about development, we must first think about restoring peace. Now, the people of this region are thinking about many things - development, economic development, good and quality education, agriculture, culture, tradition, etc. In the last three decades, people forgot all things, but now everything is possible. We must thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his love, kindness, anytime attachment with the people of Bodoland, he giving us courage thinking of beyond the limit, thinking of prosperity, developed Bodoland," Pramod Boro said.
A Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) was signed on 27th January 2020 with factions of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), All Bodo Students Union (ABSU) etc. and this MoS seeks to increase the scope and power of Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) and to streamline its functioning; resolve issues related to Bodo people residing outside Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR); promote and protect Bodo's social, cultural, linguistic and ethnic identities; provide legislative protection for the land rights of tribals; ensure quick development of tribal areas and rehabilitate members of NDFB factions.
"In the last more than three decades, the entire Bodoland region has been unrest for political movement and community conflicts many times. During the course of the movement, some of the youths from different communities took arms as a part of their revolution. Conflict between state and non-state started long back and we lost many innocent people in this region. This region became totally uncertain, and people faced lots of trouble due to insurgency, security forces operations, kidnapping, bombing, etc. But some citizens think that peace should bring back to Bodoland, I also involved in this initiative. We had no other option to bring back peace and normalcy in the Bodoland unless our future will be uncertain. After the signing of the Bodo Accord in 2003, another insurgency group, NDFB, signed a ceasefire with the Government of India, and negotiations began. We engage in the negotiation process with NDFB and both state and central government engaged. But there was no serious talks at that time," Pramod Boro said.
He further said that, only after 2014 when Narendra Modi took the charge of Prime Minister of India he had taken it very seriously.
"In 2014, All Bodo Students Union (ABSU) was agitating for political rights; on the other hand, dialogue with NDFB was started, and we also started a positive kind of initiative. We became very decisive that we should do something for our people. Unless we bring back peace, normalcy, we can't think about education, economic development or anything. We started talking with the Government of India," he added.
Boro said that in 2020, all factions of NDFB decided that they would come to the mainstream, and ABSU was also involved.
"Under the leadership of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma all agreed on this agreement the third Bodo Accord 2020 and on 27 January 2020 it was signed. After that, all people became very hopeful that, yes, something could happen now. After signing the accord, our first and foremost duty was to bring back peace and normalcy and also start the reconciliation with the communities - among the communities and within the Bodo community. We formed the government in BTR in 2020 and we have started so many works including healing, reconciliation and sustain the peace," he said.
"I must thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who came to Bodoland in February 2020, and he assured that there will not be any kind of killing and violence again in the Bodoland region, new doors will be opened in Bodoland. People started changing their mindset. In the last 4 years we engaged all the stakeholders, groups, institutions, organizations and continue the dialogues and sharing it among the people that peace is our primary duty, sustain the peace, we have to forget and forgive each other. Now we have seen the transformation, change Bodoland and sustainable peace in the Bodoland. People have forgotten everything, there is no more fear among the people of Bodoland," Boro said.
The Chief of Bodoland Territorial Council said that, now there is no illegal weapon, anti-social activities in Bodoland.
"Bodoland has now become normal as normal as any part of the country," he said.
On the other hand, talking about the reduction of crime rate in the state, Pramod Boro said that, in coming years it will be coming down zero.
"Only one group of ULFA is now active in Assam and they are operating from outside of the country. I request Paresh Barua (Chief of ULFA-I) that you should also join in the mainstream. For the first time in the history of Assam, the Government of India is thinking very seriously on the development of Assam and the Assam Chief Minister is very pro-active everywhere. I believe that, in coming years the crime rate in Assam will be coming down to zero," Pramod Boro said. (ANI)