Bodo tangle; Centre summons State Govt officials for talks

NEW DELHI, March 22: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) today summoned Assam Government officials to Delhi to join the ongoing negotiations to resolve the Bodo tangle. The state government officials are expected to present the Assam Government views on the issue, when they join the talks in the next couple of days. The Assam Government was contacted by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) this afternoon, following narrowing down of differences between the Union government and the Bodo leadership. Accordingly, two senior officials of the state government including the Commissioner, Tribal Affairs, PP Verma, and the Director General of Police, HK Deka are expected to join the ongoing negotiations. It may be mentioned here that the Union government as part of its initiative to resolve the Bodo problem has been holding negotiations with the All Bodo Students Union (ABSU), Bodo Peoples' Action Committee (BPAC), Bodo Sahitya Sabha (BSS), All Bodo Women Federation (ABWF) among others through a series of tripartite talks that also involved the Assam Government. After signing a ceasefire agreement with the Bodo Liberation Tigers, the Union government also involved the outfit in the negotiation process. An official spokesman referring to the ongoing negotiations said that the progress of the talks has been satisfactory and differences have been narrowed down. "Since the discussions with the Bodo leadership has been of tripartite nature we have now invited the Assam Government to join the negotiations," he added. Significantly, the delegation of ABSU, BPAC, BSS, ABWF, besides the lone Bodo MP SK Bwismutiary today called on the Union Home Minister, LK Advani and the Union Home Secretary, Kamal Pande and briefed them about the talks. Sources here disclosed although the issues by and large have been resolved, the issue relating to earmarking of the boundary of the revamped autonomous council is yet to be thrashed out. In this context, the views of the Assam Government would be crucial. The Bodo leadership is understood to be insisting on their previous demanding relating to the boundary of the Bodoland council area. It may be recalled here that the now defunct Bodo Accord also fell through mainly on account of differences over demarcation of Bodoland boundary. Though the Centre this time around is willing to concede the 10 km area along the international border to the revamped Council, the state government may however oppose the demand to include the Srirampur gate are within the Council.