- Preparations are underway for Assembly elections in the Bodoland Territorial Region of Assam
- The Bodo movement began in the 1960s demanding political representation and cultural protection
- Violence erupted after autonomy demands were rejected, leading to militant group formation
Much like the rest of Assam, preparations are underway across the Bodoland Territorial Region for the Assembly elections. For many, this was unimaginable a few decades ago when the Bodos were still struggling for recognition.
The Bodoland Movement
The Bodos, the largest tribal community in the plains of Assam, felt they were not fairly represented in the political and administrative systems in independent India.
Tensions heightened in 1960, when Assamese was made the only official language of the state. The Bodos saw this as a threat to their language and culture.
And came the movement, with Bodo leaders and students demanding political representation, protection of their culture and language, and greater autonomy. The All Bodo Students' Union, formed in 1967, led it, initially focusing on social issues and later political mobilisation under Upendranath Brahma in the 1980s.
The Core Demands
- Separate state: Demand for “Udayachal” or “Bodoland”.
- Scheduled Tribe status.
- Language recognition: Bodo language in Devanagari script included in the Eighth Schedule in 2003.
- Control over resources.
Why The Movement Turned Violent
- When the demands for autonomy and recognition were not accepted, it caused frustration and the mass movement entered a violent phase, killing hundreds of people.
- The Assam Movement (1979-1985), a mass protest in Assam against illegal immigration, ended with the Assam Accord (1985). Even then, many Bodos felt excluded from the framework meant to protect “Assamese identity.”
- Police action during protests led to allegations of killings and human rights violations, increasing distrust.
- Militant groups, including the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (seeking separate sovereign state) and the Bodo Liberation Tigers (demanding statehood within India), emerged. Clashes between Bodos and non-Bodo communities led to violence, killings and displacement.
- The presence of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) contributed to an environment where armed struggle became more common.
Peace Accords
- 1993 Accord - Bodoland Autonomous Council (BAC): Created to give the Bodos some control over local governance. It saw limited success due to unclear boundaries, disputes over areas, and lack of financial and administrative powers.
- 2003 Accord - Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC): Formed under the Sixth Schedule with clearer boundaries, covering Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa and Udalguri. It was more stable, but did not fully meet the demand for a separate state.
After the 2003 accord, many former militants joined mainstream politics. This led to the rise of the Bodoland People's Front.
2008 Serial Blasts
On October 30, 2008, the NDFB carried out a series of coordinated bomb blasts across Assam. At least 80 people were killed. The attacks were aimed at pushing its demand for a separate and sovereign Bodoland.
2020 Accord - Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR)
The 2020 agreement involved ABSU, NDFB factions and the United Bodo People's Organisation. It expanded autonomy and included a development package and rehabilitation measures.
In 2023, the Assam government, led by Himanta Biswa Sarma, announced the inclusion of more Bodo-majority villages into the BTR. The Bodo language was also given the status of an associate official language of Assam, and provisions were made for independent cultural and sports representation.
