Kokrajhar, Dec. 4: Such a long journey ? but all?s well that ends well. For nearly 2,500 members of the Bodo Liberation Tigers, Saturday will be the last day when they will dress in combat fatigues and carry weapons, though only to lay them down. Now that the struggle for Bodoland is over. As BLT chief Hagrama Basumatary pointed out, it was a long journey, but has borne fruit in the end.
The general council meeting of the BLT at Banargaon mini-stadium on Monday authorised Hagrama to dissolve the outfit on Saturday after the surrender ceremony is completed. A total of 2,525 activists from all districts of the state participated in the council. All BLT executive members, including the chairman, vice-chairman and secretary-general, were present.
In his farewell speech, the BLT chairman said, ?As we turn to a new chapter, our responsibility has increased ... as we bid farewell to arms we have to pick up a new kind of weapon, of love and duty to the people and responsibility to implement the (BTC) accord.?
In the evening, All Bodo Students? Union president Rabiram Narzary, All Bodo Women?s Welfare Federation president and secretary Jamuna Rani Brahma and Kanan Bala Basumatary addressed the BLT activists on the subject of ?morality? and ?how to cope with the new development and serve the people? in the counselling session. Hundred of artistes and volunteers are preparing to give a rousing welcome to deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani, who is arriving here for the first time. Union minister of state for home Swami Chinmayanand, Doner minister C.P. Thakur and chief minister Tarun Gogoi are also arriving on separate days as is Assam governor Lt Gen. (retd) Ajai Singh.