(Second from left) All Bodo Students Union (ABSU) president Dipen Boro addresses a press conference in New Delhi on Sunday
New Delhi: Celebrating the restoration of peace in Assam’s Bodoland region, a two-day-long Bodoland Mahotsav will be observed in the national capital on November 15 & 16.
“The Mahotsav celebrates the restoration of peace and resilience in the Bodoland region following the historic Bodo Peace Accord (BTR Agreement) signed on January 27, 2020, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This peace agreement not only resolved decades of conflict, violence and loss of life in Bodoland, but it also served as a catalyst for other peace settlements throughout Assam and North Eastern India,” said All Bodo Students Union (ABSU) president Dipen Boro here on Sunday.
Along with ABSU, the event will be organised by Bodo Sahitya Sabha (BSS), Dularai Boro Harimu Afad (DuBHA), Gandhi Hindustani Sahitya Sabha (GHSS) with support from Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) Government.
The Government of India and the Government of Assam have signed three historic treaties with the Bodo leaders, namely, the Bodoland Autonomous Council (BAC) Accord in 1993, the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) Accord in 2003, and the Bodo Peace Accord (BTR Agreement) in 2020. “These treaties have enabled the Bodos to regain their ancient pride and glory, and meaningfully integrate themselves with the aspirations, growth and development of the mainstream of India,” Boro said.
“The most turmoil situation that we had witnessed earlier in this region now transformed into a valley of peace and harmony after the signing of the Bodo Peace accord, which proved that peace is possible in the region with zero violence or conflicts in the last four years,” he said.
He said that Bodoland Mahotsav stands as a celebration of unity, survival and peace achieved under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership. “It also represents an opportunity to transform collective dreams and aspirations for the development of culture, language, literature, art and education into concrete actions for both present and future generations,” Boro said.
The event will be marked with different sessions, including an open session titled “The Rich Bodo culture, tradition and literature contributing towards Indian Heritage and Traditions.”
“It is the highlight of the First Bodoland Mahotsav and promises deliberations on a range of the rich Bodo culture and traditions, language and literature contributing to the ancient Indian heritage and traditions. The session will also reflect on social, political, economic, cultural, identity and environmental issues of the region,” said Boro.
“There would be another session on challenges and opportunities of mother tongue medium-of-instruction through National Education Policy, 2020,” said Boro highlighting that Bodo language and literature have come a long way in taking education to the remote and far-flung areas of the downtrodden Bodo tribal group.
Bodo is already listed in the 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution, and is also recognized as the Associate Official Language of Assam and medium of instruction up to Class XII.
