Guwahati, Dec. 18: With the Bodo peace talks teetering on the brink because of the Assam government?s ?inability? to meet its December 21 deadline for creation of a new administrative council, the Bodo Liberation Tigers (BLT) today instructed its activists to get ready for a ?pullout? from the peace zone.
A source close to the BLT leadership told The Telegraph that the directive was issued after chief minister Tarun Gogoi last night turned down the outfit?s demand for a ?positive? decision on the proposed Bodoland Territorial Council by December 21, the day on which the two-year ceasefire will expire.
The BLT, whose leadership is in New Delhi at present, was to decide tonight whether to participate in the tripartite meeting slated for tomorrow.
?Even if the BLT leaders attend the meeting, it will be only to formally convey their decision to withdraw the ceasefire. After all, negotiations cannot continue forever,? the source said.
Apart from the insurgent leadership, senior members of the All-Bodo Students? Union (Absu) and the Bodo People?s Action Committee (BPAC) are in New Delhi.
Confirming that a senior BLT leader had telephoned him last night, the chief minister said he declined to take a ?hasty? decision. ?The Bodo leader told me that it would not be possible for his outfit to extend the ceasefire. I informed him that we will take a decision only by mid-January, after seeking the opinions of all political parties by January 10,? he said.
BLT vice-chairman Kamal Muchahari had yesterday announced his outfit?s decision not to extend the ceasefire. He said the state government would have to own responsibility ?if things go wrong after the truce is called off?.
The source said the peace process was hanging by a thread, and anything could happen over the next couple of days. ?During the last round of discussions, deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani had assured the BLT leadership that an accord would be signed by December 21. All front-ranking Bodo leaders have been camping in the capital in the hope that the proposed administrative council would see the light of day tomorrow. However, the state government has jeopardised the peace process by postponing it till mid-January.?
On Monday, the state Cabinet decided to seek the opinions of all political parties on the BTC and appeal to the Centre and the BLT to extend their ceasefire by a month. The decision followed an all-party meeting earlier in the day.
The meeting was inconclusive because various parties sought details of the draft understanding with the BLT on the proposed BTC boundary and a mechanism to safeguard the rights of the non-Bodos. The government agreed to provide the information later.
The BLT and the Centre had signed a ceasefire agreement in March 2000. As many as 17 rounds of tripartite talks and several informal sittings have been held since then.