Bodo leaders urge Central Government for ₹1,500 crore infrastructure projects

A high-level delegation from the All Bodo Students Union (ABSU), led by president Dipen Boro, along with Bodo Territorial Region (BTR) Chief Executive Pramod Boro, and MPs Rwngwra Narzary and Joyanta Basumatary, met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi to discuss critical issues related to the Bodo community and the Bodo Territorial Region (BTR) Accord. During the meeting, the delegation pressed for expedited implementation of the BTR Accord, which is seen as pivotal for the region’s peace and development. The leaders emphasized that several commitments made in the Accord remain unfulfilled and urged the central government to accelerate progress. In a significant move, the ABSU delegation invited Amit Shah to attend its 57th Annual Session, scheduled to be held in Kokrajhar, further strengthening the bond between the community and the Union government.

A notable highlight of the discussion was a proposal to name a road in New Delhi after Bodofa Upendranath Brahma, a revered leader who has made an indelible impact on the Bodo community’s history and culture. The delegation also raised the demand for the enactment of the 125th Constitutional Amendment, aiming to strengthen provisions under the Sixth Schedule for Bodo-dominated areas, and called for the central government’s immediate attention to the ₹1,500 crore infrastructure projects promised under the Bodo Accord.

Furthermore, the delegation urged the recognition of hill Bodo communities as Scheduled Tribes (Hills), which they believe would aid in the social and economic upliftment of these communities. In addition, ABSU called for the immediate release of National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) cadres, alongside the withdrawal of cases against them, marking another key demand in the ongoing efforts to resolve long-standing issues in the region.