Rangiya, Jan. 24: A land deluged with milk and honey ? this was Bodoland viewed through the prism of wild jungles in Bhutan, where Promilla Ishwari and her militant-husband Lohit Ishwari fought a futile battle.
Nothing came out of the fight for ?freedom, equality and justice? ? ideals, which Lohit had strapped to his soul like a priest?s cross.
Lohit, with Promila in tow, today deposited the gun at a surrender ceremony involving several NDFB and Ulfa rebels, held at the Red Horns division?s base in this Kamrup sub-division.
After three years of life in jungles for the cause of Bodoland, nothing was as it had seemed. The couple?s dreams lay shattered like shards of glass. Promilla had got married to Lohit in 1998 after two years of courtship in Parkijuli village of Assam?s Nalbari district.
The doting wife had little inkling of what the future held for her. Lohit was to leave her to fight the government as a member of the National Democratic Front of Boroland. He left home on a September 1999 morning. Pangs of the separation soon consumed Promilla, who soon joined Lohit at the militant camp in Bhutan.
Just a week back, the couple decided to escape to the ?real freedom?. Like 27 others, the duo appeared happy. Promilla cannot converse in Hindi. Appearing uncomfortable in the media glare, she let her husband do the talking. ?It was a tough life. I could not even feed my wife properly. There was no medicine even to treat fever. We decided to flee the harsh life,? a relieved Lohit said. He said he traded the gun for life in peace. ?I will set up a small business in my native village.?
The duo never lived together in the last three years. ?We lived separately as men and women cadre stayed in different quarters. Lohit, along with others, were basically engaged in cooking meals and preparing tea for the 17 NDFB rebels in the camp,? he said.
Some NDFB leaders care little about with the living conditions of the junior cadre, he said. ?They won?t do anything to me even if I return to our native village for a new life,? Lohit says, allaying fears that his former comrades-in-arms may try to liquidate him. Family members of the surrendering militants were present to see the ?rebels? lay down arms.
The Red Horns Division ensured that the families of the militants who surrendered, attended the official ceremony.
Army officials said the 27 surrendering rebels would be sent to a rehabilitation camp, where they would undergo vocational training. They also took oath saying they had shunned violence and would not indulge in any criminal activities. ?We will work for the country?s unity and become good citizens of Assam.? Debo Chettri of the Ulfa said he had surrendered to lead a normal life.