Kokrajhar (Assam), Jan 25 : NDFB (R) supremo Ranjan Daimary, sentenced to life in prison for serial bomb blasts in Assam in 2008, was on Saturday released on interim bail from the Guwahati Central Jail and taken to New Delhi for participation in Bodo peace talks with the Union government.
A specially constituted division bench of the Gauhati High Court had on Friday granted him interim bail for four weeks, following which he was released from jail and escorted to Lokopriyo Gopinath International airport enroute to New Delhi, Daimary”s lawyer Manas Sarania said .
The NDFB (R) chief was asked to pay a surety of Rs 50,000 and the government directed to make adequate security arrangements for his travel, Sarania said.
“The bail application was filed to facilitate Daimary”s participation in the peace talks between the Centre and various National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) factions,” he said.
Daimary was sentenced to life imprisonment along with nine others for their involvement in October 2008 bomb blasts, which claimed 88 lives and injured over 500.
The Centre is all set to sign an accord with the banned Assam-based insurgent group National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) on Monday, providing political and economic bonanza to the tribals, sans the outfit”s key demand of a separate Bodoland state or union territory.
The third Bodo accord which is likely to be signed on Monday for which the centre is following the necessary procedure for the accord with four factions of the National Democratic Front of Boroland(NDFB) and All Bodo Students Union(ABSU) in New Delhi.
Just after few days of coming to the mainstream of the Saoraigwra faction of the NDFB, the BJP led NDA government at centres initiative for peace process gained momentum in the region and accordingly all factions of the militant outfits like NDFB(P),NDFB(Ranjan Daimary), NDFB-S and NDFB(Dhiren Boro) are camping in the New Delhi for participating in the peace dialogue.
Leaders from All Bodo Students Union are also currently in the national capital.
According to sources from ministry of home affairs,the peace accord will be inclusive involving all factions and ABSU .
The centre has taken bold initiative to solve the NDFB and Bodo issue for permanent peace in the region as this has been a long standing demand of the Bodos for decades,sources added.
The tripartite agreement will be signed in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal by top leadership of the four factions of the NDFB, Joint Secretary in the Home Ministry Satyendra Garg and Assam Chief Secretary Kumar Sanjay Krishna, a senior official privy to the development said.
Earlier this month, the NDFB(S) faction, led by B Saoraigwra, signed an agreement to abjure violence, following which the government suspended operations against the outfit.
The peace accord assumes significance as the Bodoland Territorial Council, formed under the 6th Schedule of the Constitution, is likely to hold its next elections in April.
The four factions of the NDFB, which will sign the pact, are led by Ranjan Daimari, Govinda Basumatary, Dhiren Boro and B Saoraigra.
Bodos had long been seeking a separate state, and several overground and militant groups carried out violent protests and demonstrations in Assam over the years in support of their demand.
Notably,once the third Bodo accord comes into signed on Monday ,the Bodo belts will see more integrity and development .The then Bodoland Autonomous Council(BAC) was signed on 20th February(1993) with former Bodo Volunteer Force leaders(now defunct) and Bodoland Territorial Council(BTC) was signed on 10th February 2003 with former BLT leaders through a tripartite peace talks with centre and state government representatives creating all the four districts of the state.
This new accord is likely to give more empowerment to the council besides giving nod to ST(Hills) status to the Bodos who are residing in Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao districts.
Several higher educational instructions including NERIMS,central universities,AIIMS,direct funding,language and cultural development,political rights to the Bodos who are living outside of proposed Bodoland area will be made applicable through the peace accord.
ABSU president Pramod Boro said the peace process with centre is going on positive direction .The BJP led NDA government is working hard for a permanent solution and that is why all factions of the NDFB have been invited to the Delhi for peace dialogue.
He was hopeful that the new Bodo accord will be paving the way more empowerment to the BTC along with direct funding.
Former Rajya Sabha MP and UPPL president Urkhao Gwra Brahma said that the signing of the Bodo accord is the need of the hour for bringing peace and integrity amongst society. He said that centre has shown a positive response to solve the Bodo issue.He added that people of the region irrespective of communities want peace and accordingly BJP led NDA government is initiating the best means through peace dialogue.
Meanwhile, Assam Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday clarified that no new village or area would be added to the BTAD under the new peace accord.
He also stated that the Centre would not upgrade the state”s ”Bodoland Territorial Area Districts”(BTAD) to a Union Territory.
“The Centre has informed the state government that no Union Territory will be created or new areas be added to the BTAD, but the accord will ensure that the territorial integrity of Assam is maintained,” Sarma said .
People of Assam should be rest assured that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah would not agree to the division of Assam, he stated.
“The Union government has taken the initiative to hold peace talks with the various stakeholders in the BTAD. The entire framework (of the accord) is being prepared by the Centre,” the minister said.
“If a fresh Accord is signed in the near future, permanent peace will come to Bodoland and Assam”s territorial integrity will also remain intact,” Sarma added.
(With additional inputs from PTI )
