Centre’s initiative to carve out a separate state of Telangana out of Andhra Pradesh has re-ignited separate statehood demands by various ethnic groups in Assam, especially by the Bodos.  

 For the state of Assam, which sits on a tinderbox full of sub-nationalistic aspirations, and a state that has been a witness to many secessionist movements in the past, Telengana precedent might put the state on boil.

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 The state assembly saw noisy scenes when Bodoland People’s Party (BPF), which shares power in Dispur with congress, raised demands for a separate Bodoland state.

 A 36 hour Assam bandh has been called by a Bodo organisation, United Democratic People's Front, from December 14 to press for its demand for a separate Bodo state.

 “If the centre can create a separate state of Telengana, then why not Bodoland? Our demand has been one of the oldest demands and we too want the same privilege of a separate state,” said Hagrama Mohilary, the former chief of Bodoland Liberation Tigers (BLT) and present chief executive member of Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), which was formed in 2003 under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution following the signing of the Bodo Accord.

 Though BLT chose the path of peace and joined the political mainstream following the signing of the Bodo Accord in 2003, another Bodo militant outfit, National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), has still been waging a war against the Indian state for a separate Bodoland.

 Biswajit Daimary, the BPF member in Rajya Sabha, had raised the separate Bodoland state demand in the Parliament the day after the centre set the ball rolling on creation of Telengana state.

 Mohilary added that the state and the centre should adopt a resolution favouring a separate Bodo state.  

Though Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi has outrightly rejected any further division of Assam, it would be interesting to watch how he handles the Bodoland demand by BPF, congress’s key ally in the state.

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