INDIA
PAKISTAN
NEPAL
BHUTAN
BANGLADESH
SRI LANKA
Terrorism Update
Latest
S.A.Overview
Publication
Show/Hide Search
 
    Click to Enlarge
   

Landmark developments culminating in the Interim Bodoland Territorial Council, December 7, 2003

February 20, 1993

Memorandum of Settlement signed between the Government of India, the Government of Assam and Bodo leaders (All Bodo Students’ Union and Bodo People’s Action Committee) constituting a 40–member Bodoland Autonomous Council (BAC).

March 1993

The interim Bodoland Executive Council headed by S K Bwiswmuthiary assumes office.

September 1993

Prem Singh Brahma appointed the new BAC chief as Bwiswmuthiary quits protesting against the non-fulfilment of the Accord.

February 1996

ABSU revives the statehood movement and adopts a resolution demanding repeal of the Accord.

May 1996

Ethnic riots break out between Bodos and Santhals in Kokrajhar and Bongaigaon districts of lower Assam leading to the death of many. Nearly 50,000 people settled in relief camps.

June 18, 1996

Bodo Liberation Tigers (BLT) formed by a section of surrendered Bodo Volunteers Force (BVF) cadres under the leadership of Prem Singh Brahma to achieve a separate State of Bodoland on the north bank of Brahmaputra.

June 30, 1996

All Bodo Students Union (ABSU) President Sumbla Basumatary killed by suspected Bodo terrorists.

December 30, 1996

34 people killed and several injured as BLT cadres trigger an explosion in the New-Delhi bound Brahmaputra mail at Sesapani between Kokrajhar and Fakiragram in lower Assam.

January 1997

BLT warns of continued subversive attacks till its demand for a separate Bodoland is met.

August 1997

In a series of subversive activities BLT blows up road bridges and triggers explosion in the New Delhi bound Rajdhani Express in Barpeta district.

October 3, 1997

BLT proscribed under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for 2 years.

May 1998

Riot breaks out between the Bodos and Santhals leaving many dead and nearly 25,000 homeless.

October 11, 1998

BLT cadres kill 13 Assamese and Bengali-speaking people in Darrang district.

July 1999

BLT declares unilateral ceasefire in response to the Union government’s appeal for talks.

March 29, 2000

Union government and BLT arrive at an agreement on 'ground rules for truce' and to set up a Joint Monitoring Group to oversee the ceasefire

September 15, 2000

Duration of the ceasefire extended for one year following an agreement to create a territorial council under the sixth schedule of the constitution.

December 21, 2000

Sixteen civilians, including ten Bhutanese traders, killed in separate incidents by suspected BLT cadres in Barpeta, Darrang and Nalbari districts.

June 2001

Tripartite talks resume on the formation of the territorial council.

September 15, 2001

Decision taken to extend cease-fire with the BLTF till January 21, 2002.

February 13, 2002

State Cabinet formally approves the formation of Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) under the modified Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India, with adequate and specific safeguards of the rights of the non-Bodos.

March 23-24, 2002

BLT leaders participate in the tripartite meeting with the Assam government and the Union government. Decision taken to allow the Assam government to formulate modalities for amendment to the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution taken.

May 4, 2002

BLT president Hagrama Basumatary is quoted as saying that the BLT would rethink on its further participation in the tripartite talks with the State and Union governments on the BTC issue.

May 6, 2002

Delhi tripartite meeting on the BTC between the BLT, Assam government and Union government ends inconclusively.

May 15, 2002

BLT executive committee reiterates that boundaries of the proposed BTC should be in conformity with its demands. Also, it says it may stop participating in the tripartite meetings.

July 18, 2002

At a tripartite meeting in New Delhi, Union government agrees to defer the ban on the BLT and continue to suspend operations, for another six months beginning July 21, against the outfit.

September 10, 2002

Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani discusses Bodo issue with a BLT delegation that included ‘vice chairman’ Kamal Mushahary and ‘publicity secretary’ Mainoo Daimari. Advani informs the BLT leaders that an inter-ministerial meeting would be held on October 13 and 14 to work out an economic package for Bodo areas.

December 17, 2002

BLT threatens to resume violence if the BTC is not formed before December 22.

December 18, 2002

Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi appeals to Bodo Liberation Tigers (BLT) to act responsibly over the creation of the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC). He also asks the BLT to accept extension beyond December 22 of the cease-fire agreement with the Union government.

January 10, 2003

All party meeting chaired by Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi agrees that only those villages having 50 per cent or more Bodo population be considered for inclusion in BTC. The meeting however, decides that for the sake of contiguity some villages with less Bodo population may also be included.

January 11, 2003

BLT agrees to all-party meeting’s criteria on inclusion of additional villages in BTC.

January 18, 2003

Govt. of Assam approves signing of a memorandum of settlement with the Centre and the BLT, but fails to take any decision on the inclusion of 93 additional villages as demanded by the BLT.

January 20, 2003

Ceasefire with the BLT extended for a month as Govt. of Assam and the BLT leadership fail to reach a consensus on issues of inclusion of villages and seat reservation in the BTC.

February 4, 2003

BLT accepts a new seat reservation formula offered by the Govt. of Assam.

February 10, 2003

Agreement on the creation of a BTC signed between the Union government, the Assam government and the BLT representatives.

May 7, 2003

BLT General Secretary Derhasat Basumatary criticises the Union Government for not introducing the BTC Bill in the ongoing Parliament session.

May 27, 2003

Assam Government issues a notification dissolving Bodoland Autonomous Council (BAC) and appoints a nodal administrator in the form of the Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the Welfare of Plain Tribes & Backward Classes to oversee the functioning of the BTC till the formation of an interim council.

June 18, 2003

The Union Government assures the Assam Government and BLT leaders that the BTC Bill will be passed by August 14.

June 19, 2003

BLT Chairman Hagrama Basumatary says that the BTC Accord will not be acceptable if any of the clauses are excluded.

June 29, 2003

BLT threatens to revive its previous demand for a separate Bodoland if the bill for creation of BTC is not passed in the forthcoming monsoon session of Parliament.

July 13, 2003

BLT threatens to denounce the MoS and consider launching of the third phase of separate Bodoland movement if the Union Government fails to implement the BTC Accord by August 2003.

July 14, 2003

The Parliamentary Standing Committee of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs clears the BTC Bill.

August 1, 2003

BTC Bill is tabled in the Lok Sabha (Lower House of Indian Parliament).

August 6, 2003

The Constitution Sixth Schedule (Amendment Bill) is passed by the Lok Sabha paving the way for the creation of a Bodoland Territorial Council Area District (BTCAD).

August 19, 2003

The Parliament approves the Constitution (99th Amendment) Bill, 2003, providing for protection of the rights of non-tribals by keeping intact the existing representation of the Scheduled Tribes and non-Scheduled tribes in the Assam Legislative Assembly from the Bodoland Territorial Council areas district.

September 16, 2003

Bodo leaders meet the Assam Governor in Guwahati and seek his intervention for removing the hurdles in the way of forming the interim BTC.

October 30, 2003

The State Government and BLT leadership arrive at an agreement to form the council pending solution to the contentious issues including the inclusion of majority of additional villages.

November 5, 2003

The BLT and ABSU leadership decide to exert pressure on the State Government to withdraw all cases registered against BLT cadres since 1987 before the formation of the interim BTC.

November 6, 2003

Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi states that the Interim BTC would be formed after the civic elections in the State to be held on December 1.

November 9, 2003

The Nalbari district unit of BLT threatens Sanmilita Janagosthiya Sangram Samiti (SJSS) activists of severe consequences ‘if they failed to refrain themselves from indulging in anti-people activities in the BTC area’.

November 23, 2003

The SJSS calls for a 72-hour Assam bandh (general shutdown) from December 6 in protest against the formation of BTC.

November 27, 2003

The Assam Government, through an official notification, announces a general amnesty and withdrawal of cases registered against persons related to the over ground Bodo movement since 1987.

December 2, 2003

BLT submits a list of 12 names for the executive committee of the interim BTC to the State Government.

December 6, 2003

2641 BLT cadres led by BLT chairman Hagrama Basumatary surrender with 615 numbers of arms in Kokrajhar.

December 7, 2003

A 12-member interim executive council of the BTC is administered oath of office in Kokrajhar.

Note:Compiled from news reports and are provisional.

 

 

 

 

 

 
Copyright © 2001 SATP. All rights reserved.