From Sudip Sharma Chowdhury
GUWAHATI : Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma on the occasion of Anti-terrorism Day, paid rich tributes to Jwhwlao Swmbla Basumatary, the then ABSU President who was assassinated on 30th July, 1996. Speaking on the programme organized by ABSU at Goibari in Basugaon of Chirang district today, Dr. Sarma said “Today on the occasion of anti-terrorism day, I recall with heavy heart and pay rich tributes to Jwhwlao Swmbla Basumatary, the then ABSU President who laid down his life on July 30, 1996. On this day, let us all resolve to nip terrorism in the bud. Let us all work together to strengthen our society based on the tenets friendship and universal brotherhood and wipe out drugs and human trafficking which are also the manifestations of terrorism.”
Chief Minister Dr. Sarma also said that late Jwhwlao Swmbla Basumatary sacrificed his life for the sake of peace, as the peace process in Bodo territory started 25 years ago. He on the occasion expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for leading the way in signing the Bodo Peace Accord which laid the foundation of tangible peace in the Bodo areas. He also said that disgruntled groups which so far kept themselves away from the peace process now have started coming back to the mainstream to help the government to usher in permanent peace in the Bodo areas. With regard to the gesture made by the NDFB in responding to the peace process, Chief Minister Dr. Sarma said that his government has earmarked Rs. 160 crore for rehabilitation of all the surrendered cadres of NDFB.
He also said that the non-heinous crime cases pending against the NDFB cadres would be disposed off very soon and the Government would also transfer all the cases pending with NIA to Government of Assam to make a congenial to peace. He also said that the surrendered cadres of NDFB would also be absorbed in various government vacancies in accordance with essential and desired qualifications. To help the family members of those who were martyred in Bodo movement, Government would extend an ex-gratia payment of Rs. 5 lakhs to the next of the kin of those killed in Bodo Movement. Chief Minister also thanked the widow of Jwhwlao Swmbla Basumatary and requested her to keep working so that Bodo territories can witness a new era of peace and development in the coming days. Minister for Handloom and Textile, Soil Conservation and Welfare of Bodoland Department Urkhao Gwra Brahma, BTC Chief Promod Boro, ABSU President Dwipen Boro and host of other dignitaries were present in the occasion.
