Non-Bodo bandh off Nearly five lakh people are expected to attend Prime Minister’s programme today

Rokibuz Zaman , TT, 7.02.20,  Guwahati: The Oboro Surakha Samity, a non-Bodo organisation, has withdrawn its bandh call in protest against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit on Friday but said it will demand a review of the new Bodo accord if it comes to power after the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) polls.

This will be Modi’s first visit to the state after his re-election as Prime Minister in May. He was supposed to visit Assam in December last year for an Indo-Japan summit, which was cancelled, and skip Khelo India Youth Games in January, because of protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

Samity adviser Brajen Mahanta told The Telegraph that the bandh call was withdrawn following the assurance by senior cabinet minister Himanta Biswa Sarma that the state government will discuss with non-Bodos on February 12 and 13 and subsequent discussions with the home ministry later this month. “But we will seek a review of the pact,” he said.

The Samity will try to submit a memorandum to Modi on Friday but will “not” participate in the programme to celebrate the accord signing in Kokrajhar.

Kokrajhar MP Naba Kumar Sarania said, “Non-Bodo people living in Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD), almost 70 per cent of the total population, have always demanded their rights should not be compromised and should be consulted before signing any agreement which affects them. But the government (BJP or Congress) never consulted them before signing the three Bodo accords. This time they assured to listen to non-Bodos, which was the main demand of the Samity. That is why it has withdrawn the bandh but other protests against the accord will continue.”

Sarania also said the new council will be formed by non-Bodos. “If the BTC is formed with our support, then we will demand to review the BTR Accord. We will review the new accord both administratively and legally once we come to power. The government has to consider the rights of thousands of non-Bodo indigenous communities living in BTAD. Their political and land rights have not been addressed.”

The first proposal of the new council will be to exclude villages with non-Bodo majority, he said, adding the accord will also be challenged in court.

Earlier, the All Assam Students Union, too, had said it will not protest against Modi’s visit “for the sake of harmony” but will continue its anti-CAA agitation until the Act was withdrawn.

AASU general secretary Lurinjyoti Gogoi said, “We are hopeful the new Bodo accord will bring justice, peace and prosperity for the Bodo community. It’s a function of their celebration and AASU doesn’t want to intervene. AASU is against CAA and the Prime Minister’s imposition of the law on us but we are not against our Bodo brothers and sisters. We will not protest against Modi’s visit for the sake of harmony but anti-CAA protests will go on.”

AASU had earlier vowed to protest if Modi came to inaugurate the Games here in January.