“Understanding the Originality of Bodoland Movement”

Abstract

After achieving independence, North-East India has been a spectator of a series of popular movements on the question of eco-political and cultural harmony. The growing fragmentation, division, divergence and discord among various ethnic communities residing in the region have resulted in disquieting developments of ethnic unrest, conflict, violence and even political secession in different parts of northeast India. A few years ago, Assam witnessed the invidious “Anti-foreigner Movement” led by All Assam Students Union (AASU) which have created violence and destabilized the political process of Assam and also destroyed the social harmony and national unity. Before Assam could recover well from the clutches of the “Anti foreigner Movement”, it faced another serious challenge from the Bodos. The Bodos, under the leadership of All Bodo Students‟ Union (ABSU) launched a movement for a separate homeland namely „Bodoland‟. A section of Bodo militant outfits - National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) and Bodo Liberation Tigers (BLT) have raised secessionist demands and the creation of sovereign state of Bodoland. This had led to the subversive activities by militant organizations of the Bodos involving the fratricidal killings, bomb blasts, kidnapping, rail blockades and activities of sabotage affecting the neighbouring states like Bhutan, Bangladesh, besides, the entire country. This paper attempts to make a comprehensive study on the various aspects of the Bodoland Movement launched by the All Bodo Students Union (ABSU), during the 1980s demanding for the establishment of a separate Bodo state in the north bank of the Brahmaputra River. This paper extensively deals with the theoretical aspect of the Bodoland Movement.