GUWAHATI: The non-heinous crime cases pending against the surrendered cadres of National Democratic Front of Boroland (NDFB) would be disposed off very soon and the government would also transfer all the cases pending with NIA to Assam government to make a congenial to peace, chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said here on Friday.
Altogether 1,615 cadres of NDFB had laid down their weapons before the then chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal in Guwahati on January 30, 2020 after signing of the third peace accord with the centre on January 26, 2020.
Speaking on the programme to commemorate former ABSU president Jwhwlao Swmbla Basumatary, organised by ABSU at Goibari in Basugaon of Chirang district, Sarma 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, the government would extend an ex-gratia payment of Rs. 5 lakh to the next of kin of those killed in Bodo Movement, he said.
Sarma 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, the chief minister said that his government has earmarked Rs. 160 crore for rehabilitation of all the surrendered cadres of NDFB.
Paying rich tributes to former ABSU president Jwhwlao Swmbla Basumatary, who was assassinated by the militants on July 30, 1996, the chief minister said: “Today on the occasion of anti-terrorism day, I recall with heavy heart and pay rich tributes to Jwhwlao Swmbla Basumatary 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.”
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.
Sarma 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.
State handloom and textile minister Urkhao Gwra Brahma, Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) chief Pramod Boro, ABSU president Dwipen Boro and host of other dignitaries were present on the occasion.
